Representative Western Political Thinkers

Paper Code: 
POL 501
Credits: 
03
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This paper studies the classical tradition in Political Theory from Plato to Hegel with the view to understand how the Great Masters explained and analyzed political events and problems of their times and prescribed solutions. The course intends to generate a critical awareness about the traditions of political thought in the West.

8.00

Plato (Concept of Justice & Ideal State, Views on Education, Communism of Wives and Property, Plato’s second best state)

8.00

Aristotle (Criticism of Plato, Citizenship, Views on Slavery, Concept of Best State, Theory of Revolution)

9.00

St. Thomas Aquinas (Relationship between state and church, Theory of Law and Justice) Jean Bodin (Theory of Sovereignty & State)

10.00

Niccolo Machiavelli (Human nature, Political ideas: Church vs State, Monarchy; National sovereignty; Statecraft, as a modern thinker) Thomas Hobbes (State of Nature, Natural Laws, Sovereignty, Social Contract and State)

10.00

John Locke (Ideas on natural rights with reference to property, Social Contract, Limited State,Theory of Consent) Jean Jacques Rousseau (State of nature, Social Contract and General Will)

Essential Readings: 

 CL Wayper, Political Thought, Mac Milan, 1995  Subrata Mukherjee, History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx, Delhi, Prentice Hall of India, 2003  Paul Baucher and David Kalley, Political Thinkers from Socrates to the present  JP Suda, History of Political Thought: (Vol. I&II), Meerut, K. Nath & Co.  JC Johri, Politcal Thought: Ancient and Medieval, New Delhi, Metropolitan

References: 

 Mulgan, Aristotle’s Political Theory  EM Froster, Masters of Political Thought  Maxey, Political Philosophies  Plato’s Republic, Penguin Classics  GH Sabine, History of Political Theory, Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., 1997  Dunning, History of Political Thought

Academic Year: 
2018-19
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