Reading path
Political theory studies the big ideas that societies are built on: the state, justice, freedom, democracy and civil society. Here I have gathered my articles in this field into a step-by-step path, starting with the basics and moving on to the major concepts.
Tip: read the articles in order — each one prepares the ground for the next.
1. The basics
What is political science? How did the state and civil society develop?
- 1
An Introduction to Political Science: Definition, Scope and ConnectionsWhat is political science? Its sub-fields, its history from the 19th century to the behavioural revolution, and the role of the political… - 2Political Science: The State and the Development of Civil SocietyHow state society evolved from ancient times to the Middle Ages, the modern nation-state and globalisation, and the challenges the state faces…
- 3The Refrigerator Theory and Political Theory: Two Sides of the Same CoinWhy liberalism and communism are two sides of the same materialist coin — and what the refrigerator and the phone did to…
2. The major concepts
Democracy, liberalism, utilitarianism and justice: the key concepts that shaped modern political thought.
- 4Democracy: Concept and TheoryWhat is democracy? Its core principles, the main theories (participatory, representative, liberal, deliberative) and the challenges democracies face.
- 5Liberalism: The Concept and Theory Celebrated by the Modern WorldWhat is liberalism? Its principles, its roots in Locke and Mill, its classical, social and neoliberal forms, and the challenges it faces…
- 6The Simplest Guide to the Critique of Bentham’s and Mill’s UtilitarianismSeven key criticisms of the utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, from individual justice to the impossibility of measuring happiness.
- 7John Rawls’s Theory of JusticeJustice as fairness, the original position and the veil of ignorance: John Rawls's theory of justice, its two principles and its main…
More chapters are on the way: critical readings, a series on the history of secularism, and contemporary issues such as the environment and technology.