Handbook

In this subject, students are introduced to political philosophy: the study of politics from the perspective of philosophy. Political philosophy involves ethical or "normative" analysis of political structures. Students will think about what sorts of political institutions we "ought" to have, focusing on arguments drawn from a range of influential thinkers from ancient Greece to 19th century Europe. These disparate visions of the "just society" will each be examined with reference to their contribution to the modern political world and the cultural context in which they were conceived.

• The Classical tradition: for example, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero
• The Renaissance: for example, Machiavelli
• The Reformation: for example, Luther
• The English Civil War and Revolution: for example, Hobbes, Locke
• The Enlightenment: for example, Montesquieu, Rousseau
• Liberalism: for example, J.S. Mill
• Socialism: for example, Marx