Political Thought

Description

Human beings live together in societies which, by their very nature, give rise to institutions governing the behavior and freedom of individuals. This raises important questions about how these institutions ought to function, and the extent to which actual systems of government succeed or fail in meeting these ideals. This Oxford Reader contains 140 key writings on political thought, covering issues about human nature and its relation to society, the extent to which the powers of the State are justified, the tension between liberty and rights, and the way resources should be distributed. Topics such as international relations, minority rights, democracy, socialism, and conservatism are also discussed by contributors ranging from Plato and Aristotle to Foucault, Isaiah Berlin, and Martin Luther King. Table Of Contents + Preface I.a. The Natural State of Mankind I.b. Man's Nature and Woman's Nature Section 2 Introduction + II.a. What Is The State II.b. The Social Contract Il.c. Against the Social Contract II.d. The Anarchist Response II.e. Civil Disobedience Section III Introduction + III.a. Against Democracy III.b. Democratic Ideals III.c. True and False Democracy III.d. Dangers In Democracy III.e. Democracy and Bureaucracy III.f. The Separation of Powers Section IV Introduction + IV.a. What Is Liberty IV.b. Law and Morality IV.c. Toleration and Free Expression IV.e. Rights IV.f. Punishment Section V Introduction + V.a. Private Property V.a. Continued V.a. Continued V.b. The Market V.b. Continued V.c. Theories of Distributive Justice Section VI Introduction + VI.a. Peace And War VI.b. Nationalism VI.c. Minority Rights VI.d. Intergenerational Justice VI.e. International Justice Section VII Introduction + VII.a. Alternatives To Liberalism VII.b. Conservatism VII.c. Communitarianism VII.d. Socialism VII.e. Post-modernism Section VIII Progress And Civilization Select Bibliography Source Acknowledgements Notes Biographical Notes Appendix Index Blank Page