Political Thought

Nature of the Subject

Political Thought is concerned specifically with the issue of how people can best live together: it does not simply describe how society functions, but asks how it ought to function. It is a normative subject in its concern with questions such as how we should treat one another and how society’s resources should be shared between us.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to address such questions by introducing them to a range of political ideas and concepts such as freedom, rights, equality and democracy. Although they may be informed by different cultural perspectives, such concepts remain at the heart of contemporary political discourse. The course is based on the assumption that an appreciation of concepts develops most effectively when students have first been introduced to the work of some classical thinkers. The ideas of the thinkers selected help to illuminate four of the key ideologies that have shaped the modern world, namely liberalism, conservatism, Marxism and anarchism. With these building blocks in place, a deeper understanding can be gained of contemporary issues and debates.

The Political Thought course will not only be an appropriate preparation for university courses in this and related disciplines, but will also provide a means of encouraging and improving political discussion among students. There can be few more fascinating areas of study than one whose ultimate concern is to explore the nature of the ‘good society’.