History of Political Thought 1
SYLLABUS
Course Description
This course focuses on the seminal texts of Political Thought such as Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, Machiavelli’s Prince, and Hobbes’s Leviathan. We will survey important views of great political thinkers on the development of state, politics, morality, design of political and social institutions, and political order. This course aims to understand the roots and main tendencies of political thought. We will also discuss the ideas of past thinkers in the context of relation with the issues that are of vital concern today.
Course Requirements
Students should attend all sessions. The required readings must be completed before classes.
There are two requirements for this class:
Midterm exam: short essay format. (40%)
Final exam: short essay format (%60 of).
Course Schedule
Week 1: Ancient Greece and Socrates
Plato’s Apology
Week 2: Plato
Thrasymachus vs. Socrates: Might makes right?
Justice as the interest of stronger? Ruling as an art, Selection of rulers, The virtues in the state,
Plato, Republic Book 1, 2
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 4.
Week 3: Plato
The division of labor and cooperation among the three classes to realize justice in the whole; Philosopher King; Four conditions of the Soul; Cave analogy
Deterioration of regimes
Republic, Book 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Week 4: Aristotle
Nature and origin of the state, Critique of Plato’s –”Republic”, Property: Equality or Inequality, Citizenship, Political systems, Democracy and Oligarchy, Monarchy, Liberty and Equality, The rule of law, The best State, Political moderation and stability: The middle classes
Politics, Book 1, 2, 3, 4
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapters 6, 7
Week 5: Epicureans, Skeptics, Cynics and Stoics
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 8
Week 6: Cicero
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 10
Week 7: St. Augustine
City of God vs. Babylon; Free Will vs. Predestination
Justice – the foundation of the state; The Earthly and the Heavenly city,
Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 11
Week 8: St. Thomas Aquinas
Faith vs. Reason
Secular authority vs. Papal power
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 14
Week 9: Islamic Political Thought
Farabi
Week 10: Machiavelli
Machiavelli, The Prince
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 18
Week 11: Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Books 1-13, pages 63-149
Week 12: Hobbes
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, chapter 24
History of Political Thought II
BEHLÜL ÖZKAN
– WEEK 1: HOBBES
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 24, 422-440
– WEEK 2: LOCKE
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 27, 478-499
– WEEK 3: MONTESQUIEU and VOLTAIRE
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 28, 500-528.
– WEEK 4: ROUSSEAU
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 29, 529-548
– WEEK 5: HEGEL
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 31, 570-607
– WEEK 6: LIBERALISM
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 33, 635-680
– WEEK 7: MARX
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 34, 681-723
– WEEK 8: LENIN
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 35, 724-798
– WEEK 9: FASCISM AND NATIONAL SOCIALISM
George Sabine, A History of Political Theory, Chapter 36, 799-867
– WEEK 10: CRITICAL STUDIES