Jeffrey Alan Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Department of History and Government

This course is a survey of the political theories of the modern (1500-1900) western world. The history of modern political thought is the history of liberalism: the political philosophy of the social contract, the free individual, and the limited democratic state. Whether “liberal,” “conservative,” or radical, all major modern political ideas are either elaborations of or responses to the ideas of English and Continental liberals of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. We will seek both to understand and to criticize the theories in question, thus developing a critical understanding of the ideas that guide political action in our own times.  After beginning with Machiavelli's break with the ancients, we turn first to liberalism as developed by English philosophers Hobbes, Locke, and Mill, and then examine Continental variations on the themes in Rousseau, Kant and Hegel.  We will then see how 19th century philosophy challenged liberalism both from within and outside. The course concludes by probing the place of liberalism in the contemporary world.

Course Policies
Students are responsible for complying with all course policies. General course policies are described in the “General Course Policies” document. Policies specific to this course are described below. Both are also available at my web site. All policies and schedules are provisional, and are subject to addition, deletion, change, or waiver with or without notice when, in the sole judgment of the instructor, doing so would further the educational goals of the course. Where these policies conflict with university regulations, those regulations prevail.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE CONSTITUTES YOUR
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AND CONSENT TO THESE POLICIES.

Course Objectives
In addition to the objectives stated in general course policies, students who successfully complete this course will have achieved the following.

1. Students will critically understand the central principles of, debates within, and criticisms of liberal political thought as developed in western Europe between 1500 and 1900.

2. Students will demonstrate their ability to use these principles, debates, and criticisms to analyze issues in contemporary political practice.

Assignments and Evaluation
Students will complete four papers for this class.  The papers will build students' skills in interpreting, comparing, synthesizing, and analyzing theoretical texts and political practices.  The skills required for each paper will build on those required for previous ones, and will all be required for the final paper.  The papers will be due at the end of the class period on the scheduled days.

Standards for the timely completion and evaluation of all assignments are included in the general course policies. The interpretive paper will be worth 20 points.  The comparative and synthetic papers will be worth 40 points each.  The final paper is worth 60 points.

Readings
The required textbook is available at the college bookstore and the usual online sources. Each student should purchase a copy of Mitchell Cohen and Nicole Fermon (eds.), Princeton Readings in Political Thought (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1996). Additional readings are available online.  All readings are required.

Course Schedule

Part I: Introduction
January 11: Introduction
January 13-18: Machiavelli, The Prince

January 20: Interpretive paper due (1,000 words)
Explain Machiavelli's argument in the section "Of the Things for Which Men, and Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed." Identify Machiavelli's main thesis in this section and the argument that supports it.  Be sure to answer the following questions in the course of your interpretation: for what things are princes praised or blamed, should the prince always do those things for which he will be praised or not (and when should he do each), and why should he act that way? You must also identify at least one point on which Machiavelli is ambiguous, and use a passage from another part of The Prince to show what Machiavelli means on this point. You must use a minimum of five citations to specific passages in the text; these need not be direct quotations.

Part II: English Liberalism
January 25-February 3: Hobbes, Leviathan
February 8-10: Locke, Second Treatise, pp. 243-258
February 15-17: Mill, On Liberty, Chs. 1-2,

February 22: Comparative Paper Due (1,500 words)
Compare and contrast what Hobbes, Locke, and Mill mean by liberty.  For each, identify who is free, what they are free to do, why they are free, and what limits the state can place on our freedom. Be sure to base your answers on a close reading of the texts. You must use a minimum of nine citations to specific passages in the texts; these need not be direct quotations.

Part III: Continental Liberalism
February 24-March 8 Rousseau, On the Social Contract
March 10-29: Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals, First Section; Perpetual Peace, Appendix I
March 15-17: Spring Break

March 31: Synthetic Paper Due (1,500 words)
What is common to the approach of Rousseau, Kant, and Hegel that makes Continental liberalism fundamentally different from the English Liberalism of Hobbes, Locke, and Mill? You must use a minimum of 10 citations to specific passages in the texts; these need not be direct quotations.

Part IV: Critiquing Liberalism
April 5-14: Marx, A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, Estranged Labour, and The Communist Manifesto.
April 19-29:  Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil and On the Genealogy of Morals, First Essay (DO NOT USE THE TEXTBOOK READINGS)

Final Exam
Friday, May 6, 10:00 AM: Analytical Paper Due (2,000 words)
Identify a contemporary political practice that either Marx or Nietzsche would cite as an example of their respective critiques of liberalism. Describe the particular critique in question, show how the practice reflects this critique, and explain how at least two major liberal theorists might respond to it. You must use a minimum of 10 citations to specific passages in the texts; these need not be direct quotations.