Explore political philosophies, key authors, and themes that shape our discussions
The theory that individuals have inherent rights that exist independently of government
John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine
Two Treatises of Government, Declaration of Independence, Rights of Man
Individual Liberty, Property Rights, Limited Government
Democracy, Constitutionalism, Human Rights
Emphasizes civic virtue, mixed government, and the common good over individual interests
Aristotle, Cicero, Machiavelli, James Madison
Politics, De Republica, The Prince, Federalist Papers
Civic Virtue, Mixed Government, Common Good
Democracy, Constitutionalism, Civic Participation
Government limited by a constitution that protects individual rights and establishes rule of law
John Locke, Montesquieu, James Madison
Spirit of the Laws, Federalist Papers, Constitutional Conventions
Rule of Law, Separation of Powers, Limited Government
Democracy, Natural Rights, Institutional Design
Individuals consent to surrender some freedoms in exchange for protection of remaining rights
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Leviathan, Two Treatises, The Social Contract
Consent, Legitimate Authority, Political Obligation
Democracy, Natural Rights, Political Authority
Government by the people, either directly or through elected representatives
Pericles, John Stuart Mill, Robert Dahl
Funeral Oration, On Liberty, Democracy and Its Critics
Popular Sovereignty, Political Equality, Participation
Constitutionalism, Classical Republicanism, Political Rights
Emphasizes individual freedom, equality, and limited government intervention
John Locke, John Stuart Mill, Isaiah Berlin, F.A. Hayek, Milton Friedman
Two Treatises, On Liberty, Two Concepts of Liberty, The Road to Serfdom, Capitalism and Freedom
Individual Liberty, Tolerance, Limited Government
Natural Rights, Democracy, Constitutionalism
Collective ownership and democratic control of the means of production
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Rosa Luxemburg
Communist Manifesto, Capital, Reform or Revolution
Collective Ownership, Economic Equality, Worker Control
Economic Democracy, Social Justice, Class Analysis
Preservation of traditional institutions and gradual, organic change
Edmund Burke, Michael Oakeshott, Russell Kirk
Reflections on the Revolution in France, Rationalism in Politics
Tradition, Organic Change, Institutional Wisdom
Constitutionalism, Classical Republicanism, Social Order
428-348 BCE
The Republic, The Laws, The Statesman
Philosopher Kings, Justice, Ideal State
Foundation of Western political philosophy
384-322 BCE
Politics, Nicomachean Ethics, Constitution of Athens
Mixed Government, Civic Virtue, Natural Law
Empirical approach to political science
495-429 BCE
Funeral Oration, Democratic Reforms
Athenian Democracy, Civic Participation, Public Oratory
Model of democratic leadership
1469-1527
The Prince, Discourses on Livy
Realpolitik, Virtù, Republican Government
Realistic approach to political power
1478-1535
Utopia
Ideal Society, Social Justice, Humanism
Utopian political thought
1588-1679
Leviathan, De Cive
Social Contract, Absolute Sovereignty, State of Nature
Foundation of modern political theory
1632-1704
Two Treatises of Government, Letter Concerning Toleration
Natural Rights, Limited Government, Toleration
Liberal political theory
1712-1778
The Social Contract, Discourse on Inequality
General Will, Popular Sovereignty, Direct Democracy
Democratic theory and romanticism
1689-1755
The Spirit of the Laws
Separation of Powers, Constitutional Government, Political Liberty
Constitutional design
1806-1873
On Liberty, Considerations on Representative Government
Individual Liberty, Harm Principle, Representative Democracy
Liberal democracy and utilitarianism
1818-1883
Communist Manifesto, Capital, The German Ideology
Class Struggle, Historical Materialism, Revolution
Socialist and communist movements
1805-1859
Democracy in America, The Old Regime and the Revolution
Democratic Society, Civil Society, Tyranny of Majority
Democratic theory and civil society
1899-1992
The Road to Serfdom, The Constitution of Liberty, Law, Legislation and Liberty
Spontaneous Order, Knowledge Problem, Rule of Law
Austrian economics and classical liberalism
1912-2006
Capitalism and Freedom, Free to Choose, A Monetary History of the United States
Monetarism, Free Market Advocacy, School Choice
Chicago School economics and market liberalism