Western Political Thought: From Socrates to the Age of Ideology, Second Edition

409 Pages·2015·19.672 MB·English

by  Brian R. Nelson

Nelson-WPT 2E prelims.fm Page i Tuesday, December 9, 2014 11:04 AM
s e c o n d e d i t i o n
WESTERN
POLITICAL
THOUGHT
From Socrates to the Age of Ideology
Brian R. Nelson
Florida International University
WAVELAND
PRESS, INC.
Long Grove, Illinois
Nelson-WPT 2E prelims.fm Page ii Tuesday, December 9, 2014 11:04 AM
For information about this book, contact:
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Copyright © 1996, 1982 by Brian R. Nelson
This book was previously published by Pearson Education, Inc.
Reissued 2015 by Waveland Press, Inc.
10-digit ISBN 1-4786-2763-8
13-digit ISBN 978-1-4786-2763-0
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Printed in the United States of America
7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Tot hMee moryo f
CARLO .N ELSON
Myf ather
and
MARY F.N ELSON
Mym other

Contents
Prefacxei
Introduct1i on
PARTI CLASSICALA ND MEDIEVAL
POLITICATLH EORY
1 Socrate5s
Thper e-Socbreaitvniegcr ssb;ue sc omSioncgr;a atnetdsh S eo phiesmtpsi;r ical
verseutsh ikcnaolw levdigreat;sua ene thisctaaln dvairrdat;suh ea ppintehses ;
ethiacnadtl h peo litviicraatlnu;dse o civeityr;at suk en owleadngdve i ratsu e
powenra;t uarnedc onventthipeor no;b loefpm l easaunrdpe a itnh;ue n iotyf
ethaincsdp olitpihcisl;o saonpdch iyvd iils obedtiheSeno ccer;ae tpiics temol­
ogayn dt hSeo cramteitch tohdce;o ncaenpdatp riokrnio wleodpgien;vi eorn­
suksn owletdhgceeo ;s moircd er.
v
vi Contents
2 Plato2 3
Plattohu:en iotyfp hilosaonpdph oyl ittihAcecs a;d eamnydt hter tiopS yra­
custeh;qe u estoifJo uns ttihcieed ;ea anltd h bee spto sssitbalJteue s;t aistc hee
inteorfte hssett ronpgaerrtyt ;hc ea sfeori njustthiJecu ess;tt aatnedt hJeu st
mant;h uen iotyfe thaincpdso liJtuisctsai;nc tdeh dei viosfli aonb otrhp;ea ra­
dooxf p hilosrouplheirccs ohmimpu;n ainsdem d ucattihGoeon o;d t;ht eh eory
offormP;l atdou'asl ipsoml;ia tnitdch sce a vpeu;b loipci naisos no phitshter y;
decloiftn heie d esatla atnedt h uen jumsatnt ;h mey tohfm etaalnsdt h ien jus­
tiocfep oliitnidcisv;vi edruspauolsl iteitchaitlchty ser; a nonfry e ason.
3 Aristot5l1e
Plation'flsu etnhcLeey ;c eupmo;l istciiceaanlsac p er actsicciaeltn hcteeh ;e ory
ofi mmanfeornmt;m attaenrdf or m;a ctuaalnidpty o tenttiealleiotytl;ho eg y;
uniotyfe thaincdps olivtiicrasts;ur ee asoancetdiv oinr;at sua em eanv;i rtue
anodp initohsnet; a atnesd u bordcionmamtuen itthsiete asat;ne td h geo oldif e;
thper ivaantpdeu bldiocm aifnorsma; ncdo nstitthucetl iaosns;i fiocfca otni­on
stituctoinosntsi;t tyupteiason ndsa olc icalla psosl;ai ntydt hmei xecdo nstitu­
tioJnu;s taistc here u loefl awJ;u staispc reo poretqiuoanlatilhaty er; i stocratic
idetahlce;r itoifPq luaett ohr;ea divcearlst uhcseo nsertveamtpievrea ment.
4 Cicero6 9
Cicearnotd h cel asstircaadliA tlieoxna;tn hdGeer re aanttd h aeg oefe mpitrhee;
Hellenaigsaetn tidhc ne e w scShokoelpst;ia cntidhs Nmee wA cadeCmiyc;e ro's
eclectiincdiisvmi;d suuabljiescmta,in cvdoi ssmmo,p oliutnainvieesrqmsu;aa ll ­
itya nda polivtiirctaCulye n;i cEipsimc,u irse,maa nndt hteh eoorfcy o ntract;
Stoicniastmu:lr aaawln dt htweo c itifateesa ;n dt hrea tiwoinlapllo; l iatsi cs
dutyt;h set atesman-pthhirele oss-poUpbhCleiircca;e; r o, aCnaAdeu sgausrt,u s;
thceo ncorodridai naumn dt hsee natiodreiatalhlS;e c ipiCoinricacln edh u­
manittahcseo; m monweaanlndta ht ulraawcl;o mmonweaanlcdti hv iPtoalsy;­
biuasn tdh ceo mposstiatttehe te;h eoorfty h ied eraelp ubnlaitcu;lr aawcl,i vil
lawa,n dj ustCiicceea;r sco o nservlaatawis pv oel;i tpihciallo stohpuehn yi;ty
ofl aawn mda gistcroancsyau;nl tdsr ibutnhSeees n;a atnetd h reu loefw isdom;
thpee opalses'esm balnidre esp ublliicbaetnrh tyfe;ai luorfte h cel assciictya­l
stamtoed etlh;Pe r inciapntadht eeen odf t hRee pubtlhireci ;os feC hristianity.
5 StA.u gustin1e0 3
Theev oluotfRi oomna lna wJ;u stinian's tchcoeod li/fiaocpftas hteRei o omna;n
Empirthede;e cloifpn oel itpihciallo sophy; poliatnidtc hSaetl o iw­ithdrawal
cisomfS eneacnaMd a rcus Aureliaunsnd;e oP-lPoltaitpnohunisil soms;o phy,
religainosdna ,l vatthireoi nos;efC h ristiSatAn.ui gtyu;s atnitdnh eoe r igoifn s
Chrisptoilaintp ihciallo sSotAp.uh gyu;s tMiannei'csld wueanl issiamnn; dt he
Chrisctoinacnoe fpe tv itlh;pe s ychoolfeo vgiytl h;te w oc ititehvsea; l oufe
peactehs;et aatsce o nventthideoi ns;p lacoeftmh ceeln ats sviicsaitloh snee; p ­
aratoifeo tnh aincpdso litthidece sc;l oifpn oel ittihceaotlrh yte;h eoctrhaet­ic
oroyf t hset astiean;s a p olitsioclaultA iuognu;s tpionliiatanin caallya snids
thteh eoorfrye a lpolitik.
Contents vii
6 StT.h omaAsq uinas1 23
ThCeh uracnhdt hnea tion-tshrteea dties;c oofAv reirsyta onttdl hseey nthesis
ofc lassaincCdah lr istthioaungJ hotho;nfS alisabnutdryh oer gamneitca phor;
StT.h omaAsr'iss totetlhimeao nniasrmc;hi idceaatlle ;l eolnoagtiucraall ism
andC hrisstpiiarni tutahnleai tsumar;na dtl h seu pernattuhrheai le;ra rocfh y
lawh;u marne asaonnnd a tulraawnl;a tulraaawls p articiipnea tteirlonanaw l;
thceo mpatiobfpi olliityta insdcp ailr iltifueha;ul m anna tutrhepe:r edominance
ofr eastohnse;u premoaftc hsyea craendtd h lee gitoiftm hasece yc utlhaero;l ogy,
philo,safoipthahyn,rd e asloinb;e rfaortmit ohmnee tapohfto hrte w coi ties; the
disinteogftr haTeth ioomni stic tshydeni tshjeusnoicfest t;ih oainnc pdso litics.
PARTI IM O DERN POLITICATLH EORY
7 Machiavel1l3i7
Machiaavnedtl hlReie naissancea;n de rmepailriitschmides e mc;l oiffn uee­
daliasnmdt heem ergeonftc heme o denrna tion-statea;n dnM aatcihoina­velli
alistmhm;eo decrno ncepotfhi uomnan na tutrhere;u loefps o wepro litthiec s;
anti-Machtiraavdeilttlhiileoao nngo; if vc i oleannctdeh a er otfm anipulation;
popurlualrae n dp olitsitcaabliM laictyh;i avreelpluib'lsi ccainvviiiscrm t;u e,
pluraalnides qmu,a laip tyo;l itrieclailga ti hoeno,l oofag cyt ipoonw;ev re rsus
authotrhiPetyl ;a toonridicen rv ermtoedde;sr onp hivsitrryat;su p eo wearu;­
thoraisity l lustihdoein v;o orfce et hiacnsdp oliteitchsin;ca atlu ratlhies m;
staatsae n e nidn i tstehlfie;l luosfni aotni onvailriatsnumfde;or tune.
8 Hobbes1 61
ThRee ofrmatainodtn h nea tion-tshPteua rtiert;ea vno launtdtih osenc ientific
revolutthireoe nv;oa lgta iAnrsits tmoattleer;i aanldti hsneme we mpiricism;
bodayn dm otimoant;h emattriucatanhldn ominatlhipesh my;s oifpc ssy chol­
ogyk;n owianngdw illaipnpge;at niadtv ee rspiloena,sa unrpdea itnh;we i tlol
powetrh;re e jecotfti hSoeon c ractoincc epotffrieoend tohmme;o detrhne ooryf
contrcaocnts;ve enrts duisv irnieg thhtse;t aatsre a tiocnoanlsltyr muac­ted
chinheu;m abne havainodtr h set aotfne a tutrhece;o mposaintdri evseo lutive
methotdhsse;t aotfwe a rt;h pea radoofpx o wetrh;me o detrhne ooryfn atural
lawt;ht eh eoorfay b solutthitesh me;oo ryfs overetihgpena tyr;a doofcx o nsent;
laaws c ommantdhn;eo mintalhiesootryfj usttihcleea ;n guoafpg oew emro;d ­
erHno bbesiatnhitesh me;oo ryft hnee gatsitvaept oew;e arn ds elf-interest;
Hobbesso'vse raenidgt nh wee aknoefsp so weHro;b baensd t hseu mmum
bonumm;o desrcni eannctdeh teh eooryfa uthority.
9 Locke1 93
Lockaen dl ibedreamlo crtahcGeyl ;o riRoeuvso lurtaidoinic;na dli vidualism
antdh nee gatsitvaLeto ec;ka enH do bbemsa:t erieamlpiisrmi,ac nindso mm,i ­
nalitshmte;a burlaas aan dt hteh eoorfty o leraLtoicokvnee; r sHuosb baensd
Filmpeart;e rnvaelr spuosl iptoiwceatlrh ;te h eooryfc ontrreaccotn sitdheer ed;
staotfne a tuarnedn atulraawlt; h tew o-sctoangter paocptu;sl oavre reignty;
threi gohfrt e volutthiseot nao;tfn e a turreec onsitdhereri egodhf;pt r operty;
viii Contents
naturriaglmh ot;n eayn dt hrei gohfat c cumultahtPeir oont;e settahanintcd
equaolfio typ portuutniiltyi;t anraitaunriasalmni,nds a mt,ul raawtl;h s ee para­
tioonfp oweerxse;c uptrievroeg aLtoicvkaeen; dl ibecroanls tituttihoen alism;
probloefsm o ccilaalps rso;p earntytd h rei gthovt o tweo;m epna,t riaarncdh y,
thseo ccioanlt rlaicbted;re amlo craanccdya pitaLloicskamem;'b si vaalnedn ce
thpea radoofl xi becroanls ciousness.
10 Roussea2u2 1
Thleo sosfn atulriable trhtyEe;n lightetnhpmese yncth;o paotfha op loolgiyt i­
catlh eorsiosctii;an le quaanldti htype e rverosfri eoans tohnte;h eoorfcy o n­
tracHto;b beasn dL ockree vistehdne;a tuorfen atumraanla; civilized
misreaodfti hnsegt aotfne a tutrhece;o ntrjaucsttv:ie cresi unss ttinhucent i;ty
ofs overeaingdln ityb eprotyp;u sloavre reriegcnotyn sitdheuern eiodtyff; o rce
anfdr eedtohmge;e newrialltl h;ue n iotfsy e lf-inatnepdru ebslitin ct erleibs­t;
eratys o bligationv;e rspnuoessgi attliiivvbeeet rhtype;o sitivteh neve egras­us
tisvtea ttheie;d esatla atneds ocieaqlu aleictyo;n omaisac m so raclo ncern;
censorcsihvriiepll, i gainopdna ,t riotthtiehs emo;ory fs overeriegvnityts heed ;
wiolfla lvle rstuhgsee newrialltl hp;er obloefgm o verntmhetenh te;oo ryfw ill
anfdo romfsg overntmheaenr ti;s toicdreatathliue;cn iotyfe thaincpdso litics;
powevre rsauust hotrhicetyo ;n ventbiaosonifmas ol r altihtyre;e jecotfni aotn­
urallaawn nda turriaglth htce;r itoiftq huneea tisotnat theae;m bigoufti htye
genewrialtllh c;eo ntradoifWc etsitopenorsln i tthiocuaglh t.
PARTI IIC ONTEMPORARY POLITICAL
THEORY
11 Conservati2s5m9
ThFer enRcehv oluatnitdoh Rnei ghotfs MNaanp;o laenodll ilb edreamlo cracy;
EdmunBdu rkaen dt hHeo lAyl liatnhcWeeh ;i gasn td hGel oriRoeuvso lution;
Burkaesr eforpmoepru;vl earrs puhsi losocpohniscearlv tahtceir simt;oi fq ue
liberanlaitsumvr;ea rlsp urse scrriipgthiptvhsei; l osvoeprhspyuo sl itpirces­;
sumptpiroenj;u adnitdch ere e asoofhn i sttohryoe;r gavniiecow fs ocipertyu;­
denocret haer otfs tatesmarnesfhovirepmr; sc uhsa ntghete;h eoorfvy i rtual
representthFaert einoRcneh;v oluatnitdoh dnee struocfat uitohno mraistyss;o ­
ciettyy,r anannydt, hp ea radooflx i beirnadli vidBuuarl'kisAes rmi;s totelian­
ismt;hc er itoifiq dueeo ltohgseyo ;c ioolfio dgeyo laongtdyh d ee mocratization
ofp oliitdiecaiasdl;e olwoagray,n, rd e volutthlieio mni;t aotfBi uornkvsei 'ssi on;
thhei stoprriocbalrleo mm;a ntaincrdie samc tcioonns;e rvaasat nii dsemo logy.
12 ClassiLciable rali2s8m1
Hume anudtil iritanasim;B enthtahmre:e jecotfni aotnur lala w anantdu ral
rigthhtee;t hoifcu st iltihegty r;e atheasptp ineosfts h ger eantuemsbtet rhi;en ­
dividucaolnicsepttioifcoc no mmunituyt;i laintydm ajoritatrhiseac niiesnmc;e
ofp leasaunrtdeh f ee liccailcfiucll uaswa; s a rtificocnisaelqu entchelsee; gisla­
toarss ocisacli entJiasmte;Ms ilult:i alnidlty i bedreamlo crtahcreye ;f oorfm
representiantp iaornl iampernotp;e ratnydp leasugroe;v ernmaenndct o mmu­
nityr;e presentdaetmivoec ranadct yhl ei betrhaeloo rfry e presenHtoabtbieosn ;
Contentisx
anLdo ckunei ttehdee;c onotmhiecoo ryfc lassliicbaelr atlhpiehs yms;i ocrats,
AdaSmm itahn,ld a isfsaierczea pitatlhiuesn ms;eh eanna dn de nlightened self­
interHeesrtb;e rt aSnpdSe oncciDeaarlr wincilsams;s liicbaelr aanldti shme
condiotfti howeno rkingt hcpelo alsistf;aii lcuaorlfte h mei ddcllea ss.
13 ModernL iberali2s9m8
DeT ocquevtihlselo ec:i oolfdo egmyo crtahctyeyra ;n noyft hmea joreiqtyu;a lity
andl ibeprutyb;lo ipci nainodbn u reaucdreastpioctp ilsumr;am laissssmo ,c iety,
antdh teh eooryfa ssocitahtseio ocnsi;ta rlu cotfdu ermeo crJaochSynt; u Mairltl :
utilitarreivaintsiheqsedum ;a loifpty l easaunrtdeh s eu periinodriv isdiumapll;e
expediveenrcshyui sg hvearl utehsre;e vitsheedoo ryfl ibemrotyr;pa rolg reasnsd
thqeu efsortt ruptrho;p ortional remparseessd eunctaatTtiHio.Gon rn;e eann d
andt hOexf ord IdGeearlmiiasdnte sa;la insdmm o delrni beratlhciels ams;s ical
vieawn tdh ree jecotfui toinl itatrhiuean nioityfws imal;nl rd e astohnte;h eooryf
positivet frhseeoe cdioaml;o frb iagshtithsrse i; g ht ofa nptdrh opepo esrityt ive
stamtoed;e vrenr sculsa ssliicbaelra lmiosdmel;rni beriantl hiesomary n pdr ac­
ticaem:b iguaintpdia ersa dosxeelfs-;d evealsos pomceienantlg ineering; democ­
racmyo:r parolg revsesr smuosra anla rclhiyb;ei rdaelaa nltdsh cei visltiazteed.
14 Marxism3 26
Marxs:c ienvteifircsu utso psioacni atlhimesa mt;e rialisto fhc iosntcoerpyt ion
antdh cer itoifiq dueea ltihshemi ;s toarcitacsna tdlh ree latoifpo rnosd uction;
propearntytd h dei viosfmi eonnt aanlmd a terliaabloh ri;s taoscry l acsosn flict;
lifaen dc onscioussunbesstsra;unc dst uupreer striudcetoularosfeg al;ys c eo n­
sciousindeesasla;isi s dme oltohgieyn ;e vitoafcb oimlmiutyn ciaspmi;p traolfi,t ,
ansdu rpvlaulsut ehl;ea btohre ooryfv aluteht;eh eoorfay l ienatthlieao ownf ;
thfeal lirnagto efp roafinttd h aen archy of tphrodedi uaclteMicaotrnivx;ce ;r ­
suHse getlh;he i stosriigcnaifilc oaftn hcweeo rkicnlga tshsue;n iotyft heory
andp ractriecveo;l austa ineo pni stemcoolmomguyn;ai nstdmh een odf a lien­
ation; laisba elriaelntiahstemeo dMr ayr;ax s a ntipoliticEadlu artdh eorist;
Bernsatnedrie nv isionism; oLfie mnpienr'ista hltpeiha sermotys;r;p y o ntaneity
verscuosn sciouMsanrexsiassn;mnd a tionMaalrixsimas;nm td heen odf c om­
muniasnmtd h ree biorfMt ahr xiMsamr;x iassim d eology.
15 TheA geo fI deolog3y5 9
Westpeorlni ttihcouaaglnh tdth cer itoifiq dueeo loigdieeosl;ao ngtdih euesn ity
ofe thaincdsp olittihhceis g;h perri ncicpllaesssa:in cdia dle oloigdiecoallo;­
gievse rsmuosr aault onoMmayz;z innait:i onaanltdih ssemu bverosfii doeno l­
ogys;t acteen tralainzdta htleio osnos fm oraalu tonotmhyse;o cioolfo gy
ideology: iannddsu escturliaatrlhiniessa mmt; is otnaa tnedt hhei ghperri nci­
pleisd;e olaongtdy hp er obolefam u thoaruittyh;o arssi ctyi enidceeo;l tohgey ,
staotfwe a ra,n tdh wee aknoefps osw er.
Glossar3y7 1
Bibliograp3h7y7
Index3 85