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Great Thinkers in Political Philosophy
CONFUCIUS (Kong Fuzi)
- Born: 551 BC, China
- Roles: Thinker, political figure, founder of Ru School
- Teachings preserved in Lunyu (Analects)
- Five Constant Virtues:
- Benevolence (‘ren’)
- Propriety (‘li’)
- Justice (‘yi’)
- Knowledge (‘zhi’)
- Integrity (‘xin’)
- Three ways to wisdom:
- Reflection (noblest)
- Imitation (easiest)
- Experience
PLATO
- Born: 428 BC, Athens
- Known as: Father of Idealism
- Main Books: Republic, Statesman, Laws
- Other Socratic Dialogues: Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Symposium, etc.
- Political Views:
- Against democracy (factionalism, led to Socrates's death)
- Favored monarchy with a “Philosopher King”
- Theory of Three Classes:
- Gold: Rulers (Wisdom)
- Silver: Soldiers (Courage)
- Copper: Artisans (Temperance)
- Justice = doing one’s role without interference
- Advocated communal wives and property for soldiers
- Comments:
- Positives: Voltaire, Nietzsche, Emerson, Rousseau
- Negatives: Karl Popper, Toynbee
ARISTOTLE
- Born: 384 BC
- Disciple of Plato but critiqued him (“Truth was a greater friend”)
- Known as: Father of Political Science & Comparative Politics
- Main Works: Politics, Nicomachean Ethics, Constitution of Athens
- Ideas on State: Natural evolution from family to village to state
- Government: Mixed, best is constitutional government (polity)
- Classification:
- One ruler: Monarchy (ideal), Tyranny (perverted)
- Few rulers: Aristocracy (ideal), Oligarchy (perverted)
- Many rulers: Polity (ideal), Democracy (perverted)
- Supported slavery as natural and useful
- Women seen as inferior ("infertile male")
- Citizenship excluded slaves, women, poor, young
- Defended private property as socially useful
- Comments: Foundational to Western political tradition
THOMAS HOBBES
- Born: 1588, England
- Witnessed Civil and Thirty Years War
- Famous works: Leviathan, De Cive
- Philosophy based on Fear: ("Fear and I were born twins")
- Human Nature: Selfish, egoistic, power-hungry, leading to war of all against all
- State of Nature: No law, “life solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, short”
- Natural Laws:
- Seek peace
- Abandon rights to all things
- Keep contracts
- Social Contract:
- Surrender all power to sovereign (absolute, irrevocable)
- Comments: Masterpiece of political philosophy
JOHN LOCKE
- Born: 1632, England
- Father of Liberalism
- Main Works: Two Treatises, Essay on Toleration
- Historical Context: Glorious Revolution (1688)
- Human Nature: Rational, equal, independent
- State of Nature: Generally peaceful but insecure rights
- Natural Rights: Life, liberty, property
- Social Contract: Limited government to protect rights
- Right to revolt against tyranny
JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU
- Born: 1712, Geneva
- Spiritual father of French Revolution
- Against Enlightenment’s overemphasis on reason
- Main Works: Social Contract, Discourse on Inequality
- State of Nature: Noble savage, innocent, free, and happy
- Social Contract: To protect property during scarcity
- General Will: Collective interest overriding individual will
- Famous quotes:
- "Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains."
- "Man can be forced to be free."
- Comments: Seen as precursor to totalitarianism by some critics
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HOBBES, LOCKE, ROUSSEAU
| Issue | Hobbes | Locke | Rousseau |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Nature | Selfish, cruel | Rational | Innocent, noble savage |
| State of Nature | War of all | Peaceful, cooperative | Idyllic blissfulness |
| Natural Rights | Power to oppress + self-preservation | Life, liberty, property | Natural liberty, abundance |
| Purpose of Social Contract | All-powerful sovereign | Protect natural rights | Protect property, avoid scarcity |
| Social Contract Terms | Surrender all rights | Surrender order-enforcing power | Surrender natural liberty for civil liberty |
| Sovereignty | Absolute | Limited | Popular |
| Right to Revolt | No | Yes | Not required |
NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI
- Born: 1469, Florence
- First modern political theorist
- Main works: The Prince, Discourses, Art of War
- Human Nature: Wicked, selfish, opportunistic
- Religion: Political tool, not sincerely believed by rulers
- Morality: Separate private (virtue) and public (pragmatic ends)
- Advice: Be like Lion (courage) and Fox (cunning)
- Ruthless politics justified by ends
- Comments: Mixed, some call him amoral, others a defender of republicanism
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT
- Born: 1759, London
- Feminist pioneer
- Main works: Vindication of the Rights of Women
- Women have reason and natural rights like men
- Education key for female emancipation
- Advocated equality, education for both sexes, and property rights
J.S. MILL
- Born: 1806, London
- Key works: On Liberty, Utilitarianism
- Advocated individual liberty, freedom of expression
- Supported women's rights and education
- Believed in harm principle—limit interference only to prevent harm