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.

9.00
Unit I: 
UNIT- I

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

9.00
Unit II: 
UNIT-II

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

9.00
Unit III: 
UNIT- III

St. Thomas Aquinas (Relationship between state and church, Theory of Law and Justice)

Jean Bodin (Theory of Sovereignty & State)

9.00
Unit IV: 
UNIT- IV

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)

9.00
Unit V: 
UNIT- V

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, Hutchinson, London 1965
  •  Subrata Mukherjee, History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx, Prentice Hall of India,New Delhi, 2003
  • JP Suda, History of Political Thought: (Vol. I&II), K. Nath & Co, Merrut, 1987
  • Bhikhu Parekh  and Thomas Pantham, Political Discourse: Explorations in Indian and Western Political Thought,  Sage Publications, New Delhi,1987
References: 
  • Ian Adams and R. W Dyson., Fifty Great Political Thinkers, London, Routledge,2004
  • David Boucher and Paul Kelly, Political Thinkers, Oxford University Press, Oxford,2003
  • W.T.Jones. (series editor),  Masters of Political Thought, (Vols.2 & 3), George Harrap & Co, London,1959
  •  GH Sabine, History of Political Theory, Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi,1997
  • Nelson Brian R,, Western Political Thought, Second Edition, Pearson Education, New Delhi,2006
Academic Year: 
2015-16
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