Political Theory

“Hundert is especially good at demonstrating how vital Mandeville’s ideas are as a major foundation for more famous Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau, Diderot, Voltaire and others. . . . The additions of Nicole and Bayle will be useful in courses on 18th century ethics and morals, and in general surveys of Enlightenment thought. This is probably the best one-volume edition of the main works of Mandeville now available.”
     —Irwin Primer, Rutgers University

"The Federalist Papers are by far the most significant resource for historical argument in construing the U.S. Constitution. J. R. Pole has given us a new edition that winningly combines his exceptional mastery of the politics of the Federalist period with an acute appreciation of the historical and philosophical background of the Papers. In crisp, lucid English prose he provides guidance for students—including lawyers, journalists, and judges—who want to understand the context within which the Federalist Papers were created. There is no more important work of American political philosophy; there is no one better to explicate its historical and political sources than J. R. Pole; it is unlikely there will be a better edition than his."  —Philip Bobbitt, University of Texas at Austin School of Law

"This wonderfully rich volume challenges those who claim that political history is arid, narrow, or worse, irrelevant to our own concerns. Jensen's study explores popular political mobilization on the eve of American independence. It reconstructs the complex decisions that slowly, often painfully transformed a colonial rebellion into a genuine revolution. Jensen's well-paced narrative never loses sight of the ordinary men and women who confronted the most powerful empire in the world."
     —T.H. Breen, William Smith Mason Professor of American History, Northwestern University

In this engaging volume, Daniel Gardner explains the way in which the Four Books—Great Learning, Analects, Mencius, and Maintaining Perfect Balance—have been read and understood by the Chinese since the twelfth century.  Selected passages in translation are accompanied by Gardner's comments, which incorporate selections from the commentary and interpretation of the renowned Neo-Confucian thinker, Zhu Xi (1130-1200).

"The Government of Poland is the only finished work in which Rousseau himself dons the mantle of legislator, applying the principles of the Social Contract to the real world around him. Poland teaches us much about the mysterious art of the Social Contract's 'legislator,' how he transforms each individual into part of a larger whole. Only in . . . Poland do we find what this crucial transformation entails and what it presupposes. But probably the greatest lesson to be learned from . . . Poland concerns Rousseau's understanding of the proper relationship between theory and practice. . . . Time and again we see Rousseau advising the Poles to do things which are in gross violation of the strict principles of political right he had elaborated in the Social Contract."
     —Richard Myers in Canadian Journal of Political Science

In this concise volume, Michael Loewe provides an engaging overview of the government of the early empires of China.  Topics discussed are: the seat of supreme authority; the structure of central government; provincial and local government; the armed forces; officials; government communications; laws of the empire; control of the people and the land; controversies; and problems and weaknesses of the imperial system.  Enhanced by details from recently discovered manuscripts, relevant citations from official documents, maps, a chronology of relevant events, and suggestions for further reading keyed to each topic, this work is an ideal introduction to the ways in which China’s first emperors governed.

"This collection gives us a sense of the depth of Dostoevsky's insights into human life and suffering and of his profound understanding of the tensions and dangers of modernity. Guignon's Introduction is a brilliant study that shows how profoundly the 'legend of the Grand Inquisitor' speaks to our day." —Charles Taylor, McGill University

"Guignon's Introduction is by far the best available to these texts, and is, for its clarity and depth, one of the finest Introductions to complex literary or philosophical material that I've ever read." —Stephen L. Collins, Babson College

Since the mid-nineteenth century, the U.S. courts have attempted, in a series of landmark cases, to resolve bitter conflicts over an individual’s right to bodily autonomy. In this introductory volume, Lynne Curry draws on close readings of U.S. Supreme Court and other twentieth-century legal decisions, supporting case materials, public health records, and legal and medical theories to trace the ways in which the courts’ rulings have shaped the development of such controversial issues as mandatory vaccination, abortion and the right to die.

A survey of the historical development of the idea of race, this anthology offers pre-twentieth century theories about the concept of race, classic twentieth century sources reiterating and contesting ideas of race as scientific, and several philosophically relevant essays that discuss the issues presented. A general Introduction gives an overview of the readings. Headnotes introduce each selection. Includes suggested further readings.

Volume I, completed in 1968, gives a systematic account of classical Athenian law concerning family and property. Volume II, on the law of obligations and of procedure, was unfinished at the time of the author’s death in 1969. The part which concerns procedure was virtually complete and, edited by D. M. MacDowell, appeared in 1971. MacDowell has provided a new Foreword for this edition as well as a select bibliography (from 1967 to the present), which appears in both volumes. Together these distinguished works form the most detailed study of Athenian law in the last half-century.

Volume one of a two-volume set. It may be purchased separately or in conjunction with volume two. Volume I, completed in 1968, gives a systematic account of classical Athenian law concerning family and property. Volume II, on the law of obligations and of procedure, was unfinished at the time of the author’s death in 1969. The part which concerns procedure was virtually complete and, edited by D. M. MacDowell, appeared in 1971. MacDowell has provided a new Foreword for this edition as well as a select bibliography (from 1967 to the present), which appears in both volumes. Together these distinguished works form the most detailed study of Athenian law in the last half-century.

Volume two of a two-volume set. It may be purchased separately or in conjunction with volume one. Both volumes are available in a cloth edition when purchased together as a set. Volume I, completed in 1968, gives a systematic account of classical Athenian law concerning family and property. Volume II, on the law of obligations and of procedure, was unfinished at the time of the author’s death in 1969. The part which concerns procedure was virtually complete and, edited by D. M. MacDowell, appeared in 1971. MacDowell has provided a new Foreword for this edition as well as a select bibliography (from 1967 to the present), which appears in both volumes. Together these distinguished works form the most detailed study of Athenian law in the last half-century.

In this powerful contribution to our understanding of politics in fifth-century Athens, Connor constructs models of Athenian political groupings to explain the rise of the “new politicians,” young men who launched a new kind of democracy by appealing to the citizenry at large. With Pericles as prototype and Cleon as exemplar of the new politician, this engaging work provides an important insight into the politics of Athens at the height of its power.

The first unabridged translation into American English, and the first to take into account the wealth of Thucydidean scholarship of the last half of the twentieth century, Steven Lattimore’s translation sets a new standard for accuracy and reliability. Notes provide information necessary for a fuller understanding of problematic passages, explore their implications as well as the problems they may pose, and shed light on Thucydides as a distinctive literary artist as well as a source for historians and political theorists.

"[Lattimore] gets closer to the Greek than either of his two available rivals, Richard Crawley and Rex Warner. . . . Lattimore’s uncompromising version now leads the field." —Peter Green, The Los Angeles Times Book Review

Based on the 1758 edition, this translation strives for fidelity and retains Montesquieu’s paragraphing. George R. Healy’s Introduction discusses The Persian Letters as a kind of overture to the Enlightenment, a work of remarkable diversity designed more to explore a problem of great urgency for eighteenth century thought than to resolve it: that of discovering universals, or at least the pragmatic constants, amid the diversity of human culture and society, and of confronting the proposition that there are no values in human relationships except those imposed by force or agreed upon in self-interested conventions.

“There’s nothing available that I know of that comes as close to representing the range of
Royce’s works. . . . ”
     —John H. Lavely

Designed for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in philosophy and political science, this edition features a glossary keyed to the primary occurrences of important terms in the text and provides insights into the concepts beyond the translation—an especially useful pedagogical device for students coming to Hegel for the first time. 

Too often dismissed as the least philosophic of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin had a deep and lasting impact on the shape of American political thought. In this substantial collection of Franklin’s letters, essays, and lesser-known papers, Ralph Ketcham traces the development of Franklin’s practical–and distinctly American–political thought from his earliest Silence Dogood essays to his final writings on the Constitution and The Evils of the Slave Trade.

"The fundamental article of my political creed," declared John Adams, "is that despotism, or unlimited sovereignty, or absolute power is the same in a majority of a popular assembly, an aristocratical council, an oligarchical junto, and a single emperor. Equally arbitrary, cruel, bloody, and in every respect diabolical." The consequences of this article for Adams’ thought are nowhere better articulated than in this anthology, which presents his remarkable attempts at constructing a complete political system based on constitutional, balanced, representative government.

"This edition of the The Prince has three distinct and disparate objectives: to provide a fresh and accurate translation; to analyze and find the roots of Machiavelli's thought; and to collect relevant extracts from other works by Machiavelli and some contemporaries, to be used to illuminate and explicate the text. The objectives are all reached with considerable and admirable skill. The reader senses Professor Atkinson's empathy and feeling for even the tiniest movements in Machiavelli's mind. Professor Atkinson has done a great service to students and teachers of Machiavelli, who should certainly welcome this as the most useful edition of The Prince in English. "
     —Mario Domandi, Italica, 1978

"This is an excellent, readable and vigorous translation of The Prince, but it is much more than simply a translation. The map, notes and guide to further reading are crisp, to-the-point and yet nicely comprehensive. The inclusion of the letter to Vettori is most welcome. But, above all, the Introduction is so gripping and lively that it has convinced me to include The Prince in my syllabus for History of Western Civilization the next time that I teach it. . . . Great price, too! And lovely printing and layout."
     —Rachel Fulton, University of Chicago

This edition comprises the full text of The Province of Jurisprudence Determined, a classic work of moral, political, and legal philosophy, including the chapter on Utilitarianism and the detailed discussion of social contract theory, which have been excluded from previous editions. Also included is the essay on The Uses of the Study of Jurisprudence, which gives an important assessment of Austin’s conception of analytical jurisprudence.

First published posthumously in 1782 from an unfinished manuscript, The Reveries of the Solitary Walker continues Rousseau's exploration of the soul in the form of a final meditation on self-understanding and isolation. This accurate and graceful translation by Charles Butterworth—the only English version based on Rousseau's original text—is accompanied by an interpretive essay, extensive notes, and a comprehensive index.

The first edition of The Scientific Background to Modern Philosophy is out of print and has been replaced by a new 2nd edition (released in November 2022). Click here for more information about the new 2nd edition.

"Eldon Eisenach, one of the most perceptive scholars of American progressivism, has brought together in this fine collection both standard and unfamiliar sources that will give historians, political scientists, and their undergraduate and graduate students access to a wide range of voices from—and reliable guidance to the voluminous secondary sources on—the era of progressive reform."
     —James Kloppenberg, Harvard University

“An excellent and affordable edition, with a pithy introduction by Okin that that contextualizes and summarizes the argument well. Mill’s work affords insight not only into the issue of women’s emancipation, but also into the world of 19th century liberalism: its views of history, of class, and of slavery.”
     —Peter C. Caldwell, Rice University

The third edition of The Trial and Death of Socrates presents G. M. A. Grube’s distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works. A number of new or expanded footnotes are also included along with a Select Bibliography.

Lampooned in 406 B.C.E. in a blistering Aristophanic satire, Socrates was tried in 399 B.C.E. on a charge of corrupting the youth, convicted by a jury of about five hundred of his peers, and condemned to death. Glimpsed today through the extant writings of his contemporaries and near-contemporaries, he remains for us as compelling, enigmatic, and elusive a figure as Jesus or Buddha. Although present-day (like ancient Greek) opinion on "the real Socrates" diverges widely, six classic texts that any informed judgment of him must take into account appear together, for the first time, in this volume. Those of Plato and Xenophon appear in new, previously unpublished translations that combine accuracy, accessibility, and readability; that of Aristophanes' Clouds offers these same qualities in an unbowdlerized translation that captures brilliantly the bite of Aristophanes' wit. An Introduction to each text and judicious footnotes provide crucial background information and important cross-references.

"This volume represents a true breakthrough.  The indigenous uprisings of the late eighteenth century in the Andes form one of the most dramatic chapters in colonial Latin American history.  Yet until now there has been no set of original documents from the period available in the English language.  Ward Stavig and Ella Schmidt have worked assiduously to make this material available and the resulting book is impressive in its breadth and depth.  It covers a long span of the eighteenth century and the major regional theaters of insurgency.  It will be of great value to scholars, teachers, and students."
     —Sinclair Thomson, Department of History, New York University

"[Owen and Strong] beautifully weave together the historical, philosophical, academic and personal circumstances that shaped Weber's world-view and these efforts reward the reader with a nuanced and thorough understanding. . . . Students, and even established academics, will benefit tremendously from this new edition. Rating: *****"
     —Jeffrey Roberts, University of Kent, in Political Studies Review

“Samuel Shirley is undoubtedly the most significant translator of Spinoza’s writings into English.”
     —Douglas Den Uyl, Bellarmine College

In this short essay, Kant completes his political theory and philosophy of history, considering the prospects for peace among nations and addressing questions that remain central to our thoughts about nationalism, war, and peace. Ted Humphrey provides an eminently readable translation, along with a brief introduction that sketches Kant’s argument.

This volume brings together seventeen of the most important pamphlets produced by the American colonies as they opposed British measures and policies after 1763, and as they disputed the issue of independence with one another between 1774 and 1776. The most famous pamphleteers—James Otis, John Dickinson, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine—are here; so too are lesser-known ones.

“A convenient one-volume translation of the essential texts from the Summa Theologiae on law. Regan’s translation is careful, idiomatic, and reliable. With its good Introduction and explanatory notes, this volume should prove to be a popular one among teachers and students of politics and ethics, not to mention those working in medieval philosophy.”
    —Brian Davies, author of The Thought of Thomas Aquinas, Oxford, 1992

Twilight of the Idols presents a vivid, compressed overview of many of Nietzsche’s mature ideas, including his attack on Plato’s Socrates and on the Platonic legacy in Western philosophy and culture. Polt provides a trustworthy rendering of Nietzsche’s text in contemporary American English, complete with notes prepared by the translator and Tracy Strong. An authoritative Introduction by Strong makes this an outstanding edition. Select Bibliography and Index.

Designed to serve the needs of students confronting Locke’s political thought for the first time, Lee Ward’s edition offers a faithful text of Two Treatises of Government with modernized spelling and punctuation. Its Editor’s Introduction outlines the main arguments of these works, illustrates the conceptual thread uniting the less frequently read First Treatise with the far more famous Second Treatise, and locates Locke’s work amid the turbulent constitutional battles of 1690s England. Helpful notes at the foot of the page, a Thematic Index, and an up-to-date Bibliography are also provided.

This expanded edition of John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism includes the text of his 1868 speech to the British House of Commons defending the use of capital punishment in cases of aggravated murder. The speech is significant both because its topic remains timely and because its arguments illustrate the applicability of the principle of utility to questions of large-scale social policy.

“In addition to its elegant and precise translation of Utopia, this edition offers the prefatory material and postscripts from the 1518 edition, and More’s letter to Giles form the 1517 edition. Mr. Wootton has also added Erasmus’s ‘The Sileni of Alcibiades,’ which is crucial for the interpretation he gives in his Introduction of the many ambiguities and contradictions in More’s text as well as his life. The Introduction is a most valuable guide for understanding this man who was a proponent of toleration and a persecutor of heretics, a courtier full of worldly ambition ending as a fearless martyr. The contradictions of the man translated into a complicated and contradictory historiography to which Mr. Wootton’s Introduction is a most intelligent guide. A welcome addition to the More literature.”
     —J. W. Smit, Professor of History, Columbia University

This fictional outline of a modern utopia has been a center of controversy ever since its publication in 1948. Set in the United States, it pictures a society in which human problems are solved by a scientific technology of human conduct.

Although he died at the age of thirty-two, Randolph Bourne (1886-1918) left a body of writing on politics, culture, and literature that made him one of the most influential public intellectuals of the twentieth century, and a hero of the American left. The twenty-eight essays of this volume—among them, “War and the Intellectuals”, the analysis of the warfare state that made Bourne the foremost critic of American entry into World War 1, and “Trans-National America”, his manifesto for cultural pluralism in America — show Bourne at his most passionate and incisive as they trace his search for the true wellsprings of nationalism and American culture.

"Has all the basic chapters for the illustration of all the various (and contradictory) points anyone might want to make about the text. Dickey's own texts are invaluable. The introductions to the chapters are essential to make clear to students where they fit in the overall argument of the book. The appendices, though clearly the expression of the author's own views about the text, are admirably objective in the treatment of competing views, and represent an important contribution to Smith scholarship."
      —J. W. Smit, Columbia University

"An impressive edition . . . the most thoroughly satisfying historical and literary contextualization for the novel that I've ever encountered. Shapiro and Barnard offer a rich transatlantic artistic and ideological context that helps pull the whole novel into coherent focus. The footnotes to the novel are incredibly thorough, helpful, and interesting. . . . This Hackett edition of Wieland [is] the freshest and most topical of those now available."
    —Dana D. Nelson, Vanderbilt University

“This is by far the best rendering of Hesiod’s poems in print. The translation is fully accurate but so readable one doesn’t want to stop; it exactly captures Hesiod’s rustic wisdom, his humour and his cautious pessimism. . . . Clear brief notes and a glossary make this a must for introductory courses: students will love it.”
     —Richard Janko, University College, London

“Lucid translations into idiomatic English. They are clearer than the original German version! Our students struggle with Marx and they will appreciate a more ‘user - friendly’ translation.”
     —John Brunn, Chabot College