Political Thought From Plato To The Present

Book covers Plato, Aristotle, Roman and Medieval political thought, St. Thomas Aquinas, Machiavelli, Luther and Calvin, the Divine Right of Kings, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Lenin, Fascism and more.

Celebrating its fiftieth year in publication, Great Political Thinkers is an indispensable text for all students of political philosophy. This text contains portions of great works in their original form to wet the appetite and to encourage discussion within classroom. By providing historical context and current scholarship, Alan Ebenstein builds upon the framework of influences that have shaped current political theory or political philosophy courses usually found in the political science department.

The Significance Of Political Thought Cannot Be Overemphasized. The Task Of Understanding The Deeper Implications Of The Present Situation And The Future Planning Can Be Assisted By A Careful Study Of Political Thought Of The Ages. The Study Of Political Thought In The Historical Perspective Leads To Mature Thinking And Enables The Political Leaders To Solve Contemporary Problems In A Better Way.The Political Thought Of Modern World Is Based On Western Political Thought. It Is Always Preferred To Begin The Study Of Political Thought With The Western Thinkers, Better Say Greeks, Because Unlike Their Eastern Counterpart, Their Speculations Are Exclusively Contained In Independent Treatises And Do Not Form Part Of Literature Which Was Predominantly Religious And Ethical. Accordingly, The Present Volume Begins With Homer And Includes In Its Study The Prominent Thinkers Of The West Of All Ages Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hume, Burke To Name But A Few.Analytic In Presentation, The Present Book Is Concise And Easily Comprehensible. Since Its Matter Has Been Drawn From Authentic Originals And The Books Of Eminent Western Authors Have Been Referred To, The Book Aptly Caters With The Academic Needs Of Students Of Political Science. It Provides A Bibliography And Also A List Of Questions Set At Various University Examinations, Aiming At Facilitating The Preparation For Examination. While The Teachers Will Find This Book An Ideal Reference Book, The General Readers Will Find It Highly Informative.

Western Political Thought: From Plato to Marx is a lucid and comprehensive account of political thought that stretches from ancient Greece to the nineteenth century. Analysing political philosophies chronologically, this book offers valuable insights into the political structures of societies across the ages, and presents a wide perspective on the various social and political ideologies. Each of the 12 chapters contains excerpts from the original works by the philosophers, comprehensive reading list, and thought provoking questions on the philosophies discussed.

The most comprehensive introduction to the greatest political thinkers written by a team of international experts.

This lucidly written text, in its second edition, continues to provide a comprehensive study of the classical political tradition from Plato to Marx. The book elucidates the fascinating evolution of the history of political ideas, through the works of thirteen key political thinkers — which includes Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hegel and Marx. The text highlights the decline and revival of classical political theory and portrays the clash of universalism vs. localism in the classical tradition. It focuses on the recent interpretations of the classical texts, for instance, feasibility of the ideal State in Plato; civic humanism and republicanism in Machiavelli; the radicalism of Locke, and the contributions to the woman’s cause by John Stuart Mill. The text is intended for the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Political Science of various universities, and for all those who are appearing for the civil services examinations. NEW TO THIS EDITION : Inclusion of two important liberal thinkers, Mary Wollstonecraft, the founder of liberal feminism, and Immanuel Kant, a de-ontological liberal. Addition of an Appendix on John Rawls who is credited as a seminal thinker of contemporary times, having played a crucial role in the revival of normative political theory.

Celebrating its fiftieth year in publication, GREAT POLITICAL THINKERS is an indispensable text for all students of political philosophy. This text contains portions of great works in their original form to whet the appetite and to encourage discussion within the classroom. By providing historical context and current scholarship, Alan Ebenstein builds upon the framework of influences that have shaped current political thoughts and theories.

An ambitious reinterpretation and defense of Plato’s basic enterprise and influence, arguing that the power of his myths was central to the founding of philosophical rationalism. Plato’s use of myths—the Myth of Metals, the Myth of Er—sits uneasily with his canonical reputation as the inventor of rational philosophy. Since the Enlightenment, interpreters like Hegel have sought to resolve this tension by treating Plato’s myths as mere regrettable embellishments, irrelevant to his main enterprise. Others, such as Karl Popper, have railed against the deceptive power of myth, concluding that a tradition built on Platonic foundations can be neither rational nor desirable. Tae-Yeoun Keum challenges the premise underlying both of these positions. She argues that myth is neither irrelevant nor inimical to the ideal of rational progress. She tracks the influence of Plato’s dialogues through the early modern period and on to the twentieth century, showing how pivotal figures in the history of political thought—More, Bacon, Leibniz, the German Idealists, Cassirer, and others—have been inspired by Plato’s mythmaking. She finds that Plato’s followers perennially raised the possibility that there is a vital role for myth in rational political thinking.

Literary Criticism from Plato to the Present provides a concise and authoritative overview of the development of Western literary criticism and theory from the Classical period to the present day An indispensable and intellectually stimulating introduction to the history of literary criticism and theory Introduces the major movements, figures, and texts of literary criticism Provides historical context and shows the interconnections between various theories An ideal text for all students of literature and criticism