The subject of this portion of our web guide and its subcategories is political philosophies and ideologies.
Political philosophies encompass a wide range of ideas about governance, power, and societal organization. At their core, they address questions like: What is the purpose of government? How should authority be distributed? What rights do individuals possess?
These theories shape our understanding of politics, justice, and human interactions. Whether rooted in ancient traditions or emerging from contemporary debates, political philosophies provide frameworks for analyzing and improving our societies.
When there are disagreements over which political philosophy should prevail in a given region, the results might be continued debate, compromise, conflict, or even war.
Although some forms of political thought likely predated this time, Ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle are generally credited with laying the groundwork for political philosophy. Plato's "Republic" explored the ideal state and the role of philosopher-kings, while Aristotle's "Politics" discussed various forms of government. Romans, such as Cicero and Seneca, contributed to concepts of natural law and the idea of a just society.
During the Middle Ages, Christian theologians like Augustine of Hippo integrated classical philosophy with Christian theology, emphasizing the role of divine providence in governance and the need for just rulers. The influence of the Christian Church on political thought was significant, with concepts like the "Two Swords" doctrine, which distinguished between spiritual and temporal authorities.
Islamic political thought emerged from the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith. Various Islamic scholars, including Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), and Ibn Rushd (Averroes), explored questions of governance, justice, and the ideal ruler. Sharia law has played a central role in Islamic lands, emphasizing ethical behavior and the community's welfare.
In Medieval Europe, philosophers like Thomas Aquinas synthesized Christian theology with Aristotelian thought. Aquinas's writings in "Summa Theologica" addressed natural law, ethics, and the role of the state. Feudalism and the Holy Roman Empire shaped political structures in Medieval Europe.
European Renaissance thinkers like Machiavelli challenged traditional views. In "The Prince," he advocated for pragmatic leadership, emphasizing power and stability. Humanism and individualism influenced political discourse.
European Enlightenment philosophers, such as John Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau, championed reason, liberty, and social contracts. Locke's ideas on natural rights and limited government, in particular, influenced the American and French Revolutions.
Philosophies that have shaped contemporary thought around the world include those of Karl Marx, John Rawls, John Locke, Robert Nozick, Carl Schmitt, and Jurgen Habermas.
Karl Marx is known for his theory of history, analysis of economics, and call for revolution by the working classes. His political insight centers on the idea that the capitalist system relies on the exploitation of the many by a select few.
John Rawls's ideas on justice and fairness have been influential. He proposed the concept of the "veil of ignorance," where individuals design a just society without knowing their own position in it.
John Locke argues that individuals possess inherent natural rights to life, liberty, and property. These ideas influenced the framing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Locke proposed that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed.
Robert Nozick was a proponent of libertarianism. He argued for minimal government intervention and emphasized individual rights and freedom.
Carl Schmitt's ideas on sovereignty, decisionism, and the state of exception have sparked debates. His work is particularly relevant in discussions about authoritarianism and democracy. He was a prominent member of the Nazi Party.
Jurgen Habermas is a German philosopher and a key figure in critical theory. He has focused on communicative action, deliberative democracy, and the public sphere.
Other influential political philosophers include or have included Hannah Arendt, Isaiah Berlin, Michel Foucault, Mahatma Gandhi, Antonio Gramsci, and Jean-Paul Sartre.
Various political philosophies, such as anarchism, authoritarianism, autocracy, capitalism, collectivism, communism, communitarianism, conservatism, corporatism, democracy, environmentalism, fascism, federalism, globalism, identity politics, liberalism, libertarianism, Marxism, monarchism, nationalism, populism, progressivism, republicanism, socialism, syndicalism, theocratism, totalitarianism, transhumanism, tribalism, and others, are the focus of topics in this category or its relevant subcategories.
Categories
AnarchismCollectivismConservatismDemocracyEnvironmentalismFascismGlobalism | LiberalismLibertarianismMarxismNationalismRepublicanismSocialismThatcherism |
Recommended Resources
Authoritarianism and Anti-Authoritarianism
Published on the Marxists Internet Archive, the May 15, 1961 essay written by David Makinson and transcribed by Curtis Price describes authoritarianism and compares it with libertarianism, or what he terms "anti-authoritarianism." Within the articles, he discusses what anarchists and libertarians like and dislike when they say they like and dislike anti-authoritarian and authoritarian attitudes and gives reasons for taking an anti-authoritarian position while defining the terms.
https://www.marxists.org/history/australia/libertarians/makinson/anti-authority.htm
Constitutional Topic: Federalism
Published on a website that highlights the United States Constitution, covering a variety of topics, its articles on Federalism was written by Charlotte Greene, and last updated on April 23, 2024. A video covering Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution is available, along with a discussion on federalism, particularly as it was discussed as the basis for the development of a government under the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution.
https://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_fedr-html/
Originally created to make the "Federalist Papers" available on the Internet, the website accomplishes this and also features several other historical U.S. documents, such as the Articles of Association, Articles of Confederation, Coin Act, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, Monroe Doctrine, Northwest Ordinance, No Taxation Without Representation, Thanksgiving Proclamations, Mayflower Compact, Treaty of Paris, and others.
https://www.federalistpapers.org/
Founding Fathers: The Federalist Papers
The "Federalist Papers" are a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay between 1787 and 1788 under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. The Federalist Papers outline how this new government would operate and why this type of government was the best choice for the new nation. Its content is shown in numerical order, in frames, and by author.
http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/
Created by a charitable organization, the website is aimed at introducing the great thinkers of Western thought, with a particular emphasis on political philosophy, the website features biographies, introductions, and bibliographies of the best secondary literature, as well as multimedia content on thinkers from Plato to Nietzsche. The site seeks to aid students and other interested parties in their study of the most fundamental ideas, texts, and thinkers of the tradition.
https://thegreatthinkers.org/
John Locke: Political Philosophy
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, a peer-reviewed academic resource, summarizes John Locke's philosophy. Locke proposed a conception of political philosophy deduced from the principle of self-ownership and the corollary right to own property, based on his claim that a man earns ownership over a resource when he mixes his labor with it. Influential in the structure of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, he argued that government should be limited in scope.
https://iep.utm.edu/locke-po/
John Rawls: Political Philosophy
Presented by the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, a peer-reviewed academic online resource founded in 1995, the life and works of John Rawls (1921-2002) by Henry S. Richardson of Georgetown University include a biographical sketch, a summary and discussion of several of his published works on political philosophy, and references for further reading. John Rawls was an American moral, legal, and political philosopher in the modern liberal tradition.
https://iep.utm.edu/rawls/
Published by the Open Library of Humanities, "Political Philosophy" is a forum for exploring theoretical aspects of public life—moral, political, social, legal, and economic. It is an interdisciplinary site for mutual engagement among practitioners of all those disciplines. Its articles may be viewed through the website, which includes an overview of its journal and publisher policies, instructions for contributors, and a submission form. Its editorial team and contacts are included.
https://politicalphilosophyjournal.org/
This political quiz determines a user's political philosophy using the Nolan Chart, which goes beyond the usual division between liberal and conservative, sorting the political spectrum via social and economic dimensions. It consists of 20 questions on freedom of speech, religion, military service, sex, drugs, security, discrimination, immigration, nation, environment, globalization, taxes, retirement, solidarity, licenses, labor unions, health care, banking, large stores, and labor market.
https://polquiz.com/
Dedicated to the philosophies of Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan, a philosopher, neuroscientist, and geostrategist, who has written several books and articles on a variety of topics, including Outer Space Security and Sustainability, Sustainable National and Global Sustainability, and Collective Civilizational Sustainability. His biography, books, articles, neuro-techno-philosophy, quotations and aphorisms, media content, and contact information are provided.
https://www.sustainablehistory.com/
