Political Theory
The normative questions underneath every political argument.
13 topics · 4 curated works
Topics
Curated reading
4Start here
No prior grounding assumed.
Then
Assumes you know the vocabulary.
- BookThe PrinceNiccolò Machiavelli, 1532
Separates political effectiveness from moral goodness, describing how power is actually held rather than how it ought to be.
Go deeper
Primary sources and full treatments.
- EssayThe Federalist PapersHamilton, Madison & Jay, 1788
Argues that factions are inevitable and must be channelled through structure rather than suppressed by virtue.
- BookA Theory of JusticeJohn Rawls, 1971
Principles chosen behind a veil of ignorance about your own position give the fairest available account of a just society.
Also covered elsewhere
This subject genuinely sits in more than one domain. These fields approach the same ground with different methods.