Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics

 

 

PLPT 3020                                                                                           G. Klosko

Modern Political Theory                                                                     381 Gibson; 4-3092

Fall 2016                                                                                              gk@virginia.edu

hours: Mon. 2:00 - 4:00, and by appt.

 

          

This course examines great thinkers and texts during the "modern" period.  We will focus on  four main themes:

            (a) classic works of the great theorists who wrote during this period, considered in their historical contexts;

            (b) analysis of  their central concepts, which form the basis for the conceptual apparatus we bring to the analysis of political affairs;

            (c) the main currents of the "liberal" tradition of political theory, from the rise of classical liberalism during the period of Hobbes and Locke, into the industrial revolution and the problems this caused.

            (d) fundamental criticisms of liberal political theory, as expressed by its most important adversaries.

 

Books have been ordered at the University bookstore and should be purchased if at all possible.  All material is on reserve in Clemons Library.  Shorter Readings are on reserve only (on the course collab page).

 

T. Hobbes, Leviathan (Cambridge, paperback): Chaps. 1-18, 20-21, 26, 28-30, Review

and Conclusion

 

J. Locke, The Second Treatise on Civil Government, in Two Treatises of Government

(Cambridge, paperback)

 

D. Hume, Political Writings: 164-81, 1-98  (Hackett, paper)

            PLUS three selections on collab:

            Treatise of Human Nature, Book III, Pt. 1;

     Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, Appendix iii, "Some Farther Considerations With Regard To Justice"

            Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, Conclusion

 

Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (Cambridge, paperback): Books 1‑12, 14, 19

 

    The Federalist, #'s 9, 10, 47, 51 (collab)

 

J. Rousseau, The Basic Political Writings, 2nd ed.  (Hackett paperback):

             Discourse on Inequality

            Discourse on Political Economy (pp. 121-40)

            The Social Contract

 

    M. Robespierre, Speech on the Republic's political morality (February 5, 1794) (collab.)

 

J. Bentham: Selections, in Introduction to Contemporary  Civilization in the West (on

            reserve only: on collab page)

 

J.S. Mill, On Liberty (Hackett, paperback)

    

G. W. F. Hegel, Introduction to the Philosophy of History (Hackett, paperback), pp. 1-56

           

            Hegel, "Ethical Life," from Philosophy of Right (collab)

 

R. Tucker, ed., The Marx‑Engels Reader, 2nd. ed. (Norton, paperback)

     (Norton, paperback): pages (to be read in this order): 3‑6, 681‑2, 469‑500, 146‑200,

     143‑145, 203‑217, 294‑302, 361‑76, 419‑442, 760‑68

 

Requirements:

 

1. Midterm and final examinations.  

 

2. Analytical paper, on subject of your own choosing (approx 12. pp.), due Wednesday 30  November.

            Late papers will be penalized; incompletes will not be given.

            Brief guidelines for the paper are posted on the class collab page:

            (paper assignment.doc).

 

Grading: final exam and paper count 37%; midterm counts 25% (with class participation

            then added).  Final examination is loosely cumulative.

 

3. Discussion Section:  You must attend discussion section;  attendance will be taken, and

            excessive absences penalized.  You must do the reading and be prepared to

            discuss it.  Class  participation will be taken into consideration and weighed

            heavily in grading.

Secondary Sources in the History of Political Theory (on reserve)

 

G. H. Sabine, The History of Political Theory.

 

J. Plamenatz, Man and Society, two vols. (Machiavelli through Marx)

 

M. Forsyth and M. Keens-Soper, eds., A Guide to the Political Classics: Plato to Rousseau

            (Oxford, 1988)

 

M. Forsyth, M. Keens-Soper, and J. Hoffman, eds., The Political Classics: Hamilton to Mill

            (Oxford, 1993)

 

I. Hampsher-Monk, A History of Modern Political Thought.

 

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, on the internet, is generally excellent and an extremely useful resource (http://plato.stanford.edu/), as is, generally, Wikipedia.