On the History of Political Philosophy: Great Political Thinkers from Thucydides to Locke (Longman Library of Primary Sources)

Intended for use in courses on political philosophy or the history of political philosophy,__On the History of Political Philosophy__provides a critical account of Western political philosophy from classical Greece to modern times. Demonstrating the continued relevance of historical ideas to today's problems, the author traces ongoing discussions about justice, power, and human nature by examining the ideas of key political theorists. Cover 1 Title Page 2 Copyright Page 3 Dedication 4 Table of Contents 5 Original Table of Contents 6 Preface 10 Introduction 12 Chapter 1 Thucydides: War and the Polis 16 Thucydides’ Work 16 A Brief History of the Peloponnesian War 17 From the State of Nature to Political Society 18 Fragility of Civilization 20 Thucydides’ Realism 21 Realism versus Idealism in the Melian Dialogue 23 Politics and Ethics 26 Questions 29 Guide to Further Reading 30 Chapter 2 Plato: Who Should Rule? 31 Platonic Dialogues 32 The Task of Political Philosophy 34 What Is Justice? 35 Philosophy and Dogma 37 The Best Political Order 38 A Critique of Democracy 40 The Government of Philosopher Rulers 41 Politics and the Soul 44 The Relevance of Plato 47 Questions 48 Guide to Further Reading 48 Chapter 3 Aristotle: The Best Constitution 49 Aristotle’s Writings 50 What Is Politics? 51 The State as Political and Moral Community 53 What Is Happiness? 55 Friendship and Concord 57 Formative Laws and the Moral Elite 58 Human Nature and the Nature of the State 59 Constitutions 60 Justice and the Distribution of Power 63 The Middle Constitution 64 How to Prevent a Revolution? 66 Aristotle’s Realism 68 Questions 68 Guide to Further Reading 69 Chapter 4 Cicero: The Idea of the Republic 70 The Crisis of the Later Republic 71 Human Nature and Divine Origin 74 The Fellowship of Humans 75 Cosmopolitanism and Natural Law 77 International Morals 79 Moral Restraints in War 80 Ethics of Hegemonic Leadership 82 The Roman Mixed Constitution 84 Republican Values 86 Questions 88 Guide to Further Reading 89 Chapter 5 St. Augustine: The City of God 90 Faith and Reason 92 Christian Pessimism 93 Two Loves and Two Cities 95 A Christian Commonwealth 97 Obedience and War 100 The Idolatry of Politics 102 The City of God and Tradition 103 Questions 105 Guide to Further Reading 105 Chapter 6 St. Thomas: Faith and Social Solidarity 106 The Golden Age of Scholasticism 108 Christianity and Social Theory 111 Private Property and Poverty 113 The Origin, Purpose, and Limits of Authority 115 Monarchy and the Mixed Constitution 117 Church and State 120 The Nature of Law 121 Natural Law and Open Society 124 Aquinas’ Legacy 127 Questions 128 Guide to Further Reading 129 Chapter 7 Machiavelli: How to Rule? 130 The New Teaching of Politics 134 Politics and Change 135 Machiavelli’s Republicanism 138 Human Goodness and Corruption 140 The Rule of Princes 143 A Critique of the Moral Tradition 146 The Politics of Raison d’État 148 Machiavelli and Machiavellism 151 Questions 153 Guide to Further Reading 154 Chapter 8 Grotius: International Society 155 The Just War Tradition 159 Grotius’s Argument against Raison d’État 161 Jus ad Bellum and Jus in Bello 163 The Universality of International Society 166 Human Rights and Intervention 167 Old and New Challenges to the Grotian Order 170 Questions 171 Guide to Further Reading 172 Chapter 9 Hobbes: The Beginning of Modernity 173 A New Political Science 177 The Reality of Conflict 180 Social Contract 183 Absolute Sovereignty 186 The Logic of Despotism 189 International Relations as a State of War 192 Hobbes’ Modernity 196 Questions 197 Guide to Further Reading 197 Chapter 10 Locke: Liberty and Property 199 The Question of Toleration 201 Toleration and Its Limits 204 Freedom and Law 208 The State of Nature and Natural Law 209 The Liberal Concept of International Relations 212 A Limited Government 215 Property and Labor 218 Civil Society and State Building 222 Liberty, Economy, Colony 223 Commerce and the Question of Ethics 226 Locke’s Liberalism 228 Questions 229 Guide to Further Reading 229 Epilogue: The Classics and the Moderns 230 Appendix: The Great Debate 238 Works Cited 240 Glossary 247 Index 256 Intended for use in courses on political philosophy or the history of political philosophy, On the History of Political Philosophy provides a critical account of Western political philosophy from classical Greece to modern times. Demonstrating the continued relevance of historical ideas to today's problems, the author traces ongoing discussions about justice, power, and human nature by examining the ideas of key political theorists.