The History of Political Theory and Other Essays
The History of Political Theory and Other Essays
In this collection of essays, John Dunn brings his characteristically acute and penetrative insight to a wide range of political issues. In the first essay, 'The history of political theory', Professor Dunn argues for the importance of a historical perspective in the study of political thought. Other pieces engage with central concepts of political philosophy such as obligation, trust, freedom of conscience and property. A group of studies tackle specific contemporary problems and future dangers, for example racism and the dilemma of humanitarian intervention. The volume as a whole articulates the many dangers, but also the huge importance of, contemporary politics, and provides a representative collection of work by one of the most astute political commentators writing today.
- Author is one of the most distinguished political theorists/ commentators writing today
- Collection of recent essays, several appearing in English for the first time
- Encompasses and combines historical perspectives, central issues of political theory, and contemporary problems
Product details
December 1995Paperback
9780521497848
252 pages
228 × 151 × 15 mm
0.38kg
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The history of political theory
- 3. Contractualism
- 4. Political obligation
- 5. Trust
- 6. The claim to freedom of conscience: freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of worship?
- 7. Property, justice and common good after socialism
- 8. The dilemma of humanitarian intervention: the executive power of the Law of Nature after God
- 9. Specifying and understanding racism
- 10. Political science, political theory, and policymaking in an interdependent world
- 11. Democracy: the politics of making, defending and exemplifying community: Europe 1992
- 12. Is there a contemporary crisis of the nation state?
- 13. Political and economic obstacles to rapid collective learning
- 14. The heritage and future of the European left.
