Reflections on Political Theory : A Voice of Reason From the Past

In this thought-provoking study, Neal Wood challenges the conception of political theory as a lofty discipline remote from the world of real politics. Drawing on the examples of thinkers from Plato to those of the 19th Century, he attempts to define political theory by examining the nature of the state and politics, by identifying the major characteristics that their theories share and by analyzing the conditions that have favored their creation. In this thought-provoking study, Neal Wood challenges the conception of political theory as a lofty discipline remote from the world of real politics. Drawing on the examples of thinkers from Plato to those of the nineteenth century, he attempts to define political theory by examining the nature of the state and politics, by identifying the major characteristics that their theories share and by analyzing the conditions that have favoured their creation. Wood critically explores the two principle approaches to studying the work of past theorists - the philosophical and historical - and evaluates the relevance of Marxism. The various theories are not treated as blueprints but collectively as a voice of reason from the past, which can inspire and guide present and future theorizing. Front Matter....Pages i-x Questions and Problems....Pages 1-14 Front Matter....Pages 15-15 State and Politics....Pages 17-37 Character of Political Theory....Pages 39-69 Conditions Favouring Political Theory....Pages 71-88 Front Matter....Pages 89-89 Philosophical Mode of Analysis....Pages 91-113 Historical Mode of Analysis....Pages 115-131 Marxism and the Historical Mode of Analysis....Pages 133-154 Afterword: Toward the Future....Pages 155-164 Back Matter....Pages 165-178 Annotation In this thought-provoking study, Neal Wood challenges the conception of political theory as a lofty discipline remote from the world of real politics. Drawing on the examples of thinkers from Plato to those of the 19th Century, he attempts to define political theory by examining the nature of the state and politics, by identifying the major characteristics that their theories share and by analyzing the conditions that have favored their creation This is an unashamedly 'old-fashioned' book.