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Designed to meet the scope and sequence of your course, OpenStax Introduction to Political Science provides a strong foundation in global political systems, exploring how and why political realities unfold.
- Plato,The Republic
- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
- Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
- John Locke, Second Treatise of Government
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
Plato was an Athenian philosopher, and one of the first Western thinkers to marry philosophy and politics. The Republicdiscusses the meaning and nature of justice, arguing that a ‘just’ society depends on having a good relationship between three different groups: ‘producers’ (craftsmen, farmers), ‘auxiliaries’ (soldiers) and ‘guardians’ (rulers, po...
Machiavelli was an Italian politician living in Florence. The Princemarks an important break from previous trends in Western political thought, as it is based on real past experiences, rather than abstract ethical and political principles. Machiavelli aimed to reveal human nature and power structures for what they really are, by looking at the real...
Hobbes was an English philosopher and royalist. His Leviathanwas written against a backdrop of English civil war, with parliament aiming to dethrone Charles I and establish a republic. Hobbes argues that the natural state in which humans live is anarchy, where the weakest are dominated by the strongest. He suggests that a ‘social contract’ between ...
Locke wrote his Second Treatise of Governmentas a direct response to the political situation in England at the time. He defines political power morally; arguing that the state can and must make and enforce laws for the good of the public. Locke argues that although all people are equal in what he calls a ‘state of nature’, they must surrender some ...
Rousseau was a French philosopher writing in the decades leading up to the French Revolution. In The Social Contract, he argues that laws are binding only when they are supported by the general will of the people, and that the people should only support those which ensure their freedom. He is critical of his contemporary states, writing that they r...
BOOK ONE Part I Every state is a community of some kind, and every community is es-tablished with a view to some good; for mankind always act in order to obtain that which they think good. But, if all communities aim at some good, the state or political community, which is the highest of all, and
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This book takes the broadest view, adopting the guidance of political scientist Harold Lasswell, who defined politics as “who gets what, when, how.” 6 Politics exists wherever people interact with one another to make decisions that affect them collectively. Politics exists within families.
Oct 5, 2020 · This list is a compilation of some of the classic founding political theory books, an attempt to include political writing beyond what might be considered traditional “political theory canon,” an exploration of intersectionality and politics, and a reflection on some of the major topics that play a role in our political discourse today.
Feb 18, 2013 · Not so much a book on practical politics as one on the philosophy of politics, this book takes a brief look at multiple politicians, historical figures, and authors to distill the essence of the ideas and activities that created and maintained societies ancient, medieval, and modern.
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With a more sophisticated understanding of politics and political science, you can better understand questions of who gets what, when, how, and perhaps most important, why. The quality of our politics depends to a large degree on the quality of citizen engagement.
