About the Book
In this important new book R. N. Berki claims that an acquaintance with the history of political thought is the highest peak of political education, since it enables the student to partake of the visions of man, society and the state as they are found in the writings of our most eminent political thinkers.
The book provides an overview of the whole span of political thought in our civilization, treating both thinkers and ideas in a concise and genuinely historical manner. The discussion is organized around historical changes in conceptions of the human being, with special reference to man’s relationship to the community. Starting with chapters on the relation of political thought to the experience of politics, and, even more importantly, to history, Dr Berki then describes and analyses in turn the political thought of ancient times—the ‘philosophic’ vision; the ‘religious’ vision of medieval times; the ‘civic’ vision of early modern times; and the ‘social’ vision of the modern age.
From Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Cicero through Augustine, Aquinas and Marsilius, and Machiavelli, Bodin, Hobbes and Locke to Rousseau, Burke, Hegel, Mill and Marx, the book covers all our outstanding political thinkers. This is the first compact introductory work to appear on the subject for many years, and will be of immense value to every student of politics.
Contents
• Political Thought and Politics
• Political Thought and History
• The Philosophic Vision: Political Thought in Ancient Times
• The Religious Vision: Political Thought in Medieval Times
• The Civic Vision: Political Thought in Early Modern Times
• The Social Vision: Political Thought in Modern Times
• Conclusion: Some Practical Hints Concerning Study
About the Author / Editor
R. N. Berki is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Hull. He has co-edited The Morality of Politics (1972) and Knowledge and Belief in Politics: The Problem of Ideology (1973), and is author of Socialism (1975).
