It Is Crucial to Have Your Own Copy of the Core Texts (Indicated Below) and Bring Them

Core Texts

It is crucial to have your own copy of the core texts (indicated below) and bring them with you to Tutorials.

1. PlatoThe Republic (esp. books I-V)

Available free on-line @

1. AristotleThe Politics (esp.book 1, chs 1-6; book III, chs 1-18)

Available free on-line @

The Nicomachean Ethics (book V, chs 1-5)

Available free on-line @

1. N MachiavelliThe Prince

(Entire text)

Available free on-line @

4. T HobbesLeviathan (esp. pt 1, chs 10-16, pt II - chs 17-30)

Available free on-line @

5. J LockeThe Second Treatise on Government

(Entire text)

Available free on-line @

General Reading – Books, journals etc

* = Important text

Many of these texts contain introductory chapters on the thinkers we are studying.

SkinnerThe Foundations of Modern Political Thought. Vol.2, The Age of reformation

Wolin, SPolitics and Vision

MacPherson,C. BThe Political Theory of Possessive Individualism

Burns & Goldie (eds.)The Cambridge History of Political Thought 1450-1700

Foryth, & Keens-Soper Political Classics: a guide to the essential texts from Plato to Rousseau

*Hampsher-Monk, IA History of Modern Political Thought

McLelland, J. SA History of Political Thought

Pateman, CThe Problem of Political Obligation

*Plamenatz, JMan & Society:political and social theories from Machiavelli to Marx

Sabine, GThe History of Political Thought

Topic Readings

Plato

Plato The Laws

Plato The Statesman

Annas, JPlato:a very short introduction

Lycos, KPlato on justice and power

Kraut, R (ed.)Plato’s Republic:critical essays

Reeve, C.D.C.Philosopher-kings:the argument of Plato’s Republic

Rice, D. H. A guide to Plato’s Republic

Santas, G (ed.)The Blackwell guide to Plato’s Republic

Samaras, TPlato on democracy

Vlastos, G (ed.)Plato:a collection of critical essays

Williams, BPlato:the invention of philosophy

Wilson, J. F.The politics of moderation:an interpretation of Plato’s Republic

Note: you will also find these articles on Plato on the WebCT site for this module

Heinaman, R., ‘Social Justice in Plato’s Republic,’ Polis, 15 (1998), pp. 23-44.

Loizou, A., ‘The ThreefoldPsyche and the Dramatisation of Justice in Plato’s Republic,’ Polis, 16 (1999), pp. 30-50.

Demetriou, K. N., ‘A ‘Legend’ in Crisis: The Debate over Plato’s Politics,’ 1930-1960, Polis, 19 (2002), pp. 61-92.

McCoy, M. B., ‘Sophistry and Philosophy in Plato’s Republic,’ Polis, 22, 2 (2005), pp. 265-86.

Schofield, M., ‘Law and Absolutism in the Republic,’ Polis, 23, 2 (2006), pp. 319-27.

Wallach, J. R., ‘Democracy in Ancient Greek Political Theory: 1906–2006,’ Polis, 23, 2 (2006), pp. 350-67.

Aristotle

Aristotle The Nicomachean ethics

Barker, E. (trans.)The Politics of Aristotle

Everson, S (ed.)The Politicsand The Constitution of Athens

Shields, CAristotle

Kraut, R (ed.) The Blackwell guide to Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics

Frank, J A democracy of distinction:Aristotle and the work of politics

Kraut, R Aristotle:political philosophy

Barnes, J Aristotle:a very short introduction

Voegelin, E Plato and Aristotle

Barnes, J (ed.)The Cambridge companion to Aristotle

Miller, F. D.Nature, justice, and rights in Aristotle’s Politics

Ross, D Aristotle

Barnes, J Aristotle

Grimaldi, W. M.A.Aristotle’s Rhetoric: a commentary

Barker, EThe political thought of Plato and Aristotle

Machiavelli

Machiavelli, NDiscourse on Livy

Available free on-line @

Coyle, M (ed.) Niccolò Machiavelli's The prince: new interdisciplinary essays

Plamenatz, J Man and society: political and social theories from Machiavelli to Marx Vol. 1, From the Middle Ages to Locke. -- 2nd ed

Viroli, M et al (ed.)Machiavelli and republicanism

Garver, E Machiavelli and the history of prudence

Hulliung, MCitizen Machiavelli

Skinner, QMachiavelli

Fleisher, M (ed.)Machiavelli and the nature of political thought

Gilmore, M. P (ed.) Studies on Machiavelli

Parel, A The political calculus: essays on Machiavelli's philosophy

Hobbes

Baumgold, DHobbes’s Political Theory

Beackon, S & Reeve, AThe Benefits of Reasonable Conduct: The

Leviathan Theory of Obligation, Political Theory, 4,

4, (1976) pp.423-38

Gauthier, DThe Logic of Leviathan: The Moral and Political Theory of Thomas Hobbes

Gauthier, DThe Social Contract as Ideology, Philosophy and

Public Affairs, 6, 2, (1977) p.130-6

Hampsher-Monk, IA History of Modern Political Thought ch.1

Hampton, JHobbes and the Social Contract Tradition

Kavka, GHobbesian Moral and Political Theory

Macpherson, C. BThe Political Theory of Possessive Individualism ch.2

McNeilly, F. SThe Anatomy of Leviathan

Peters, R. SHobbes

Rogers, G. A & Ryan, APerspectives on Thomas Hobbes

von Leyden, WHobbes and Locke

Warrender, HThe Political Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes

Locke

von Leyden, WHobbes and Locke

Dunn, JThe Political Thought of John Locke

Gough, J. WJohn Locke’s Political Philosophy

Grant, RJohn Locke’s Liberalism

Hampsher-Monk, IA History of Modern Political Thought ch.2

Harris, IThe Mind of John Locke

Macpherson, C. BThe Political Theory of Possessive Individualism ch.5

Pateman, CThe Problem of Political Obligation

Pitkin, HObligation and Consent, American Political Science

Review, 59 & 60 (1965-66)

Schochet, G. J (ed.)Life, Liberty and Property: Essays on Locke’s Political Ideas