Political Science 431/531: Early Modern Political Theory

Winter 2004

12-1:20 UH

Prof. Leonard Feldman

 

 

Office: PLC 914

Phone: 346-1479

Email: lfeldman@uoregon.edu

Homepage: www.uoregon.edu/~lfeldman

 

 

            This course provides an introduction to political theory of the early modern period, beginning with Machiavelli and continuing through to Rousseau. We will cover many significant themes: the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate government, human nature, the purpose of political life, and the meaning and value of freedom. We will pay particular attention to the way theorists of the early modern period grapple with the complexities, challenges and paradoxes of political foundings--that is to say, of the creation of new political orders out of anarchy, conquest or revolution. We will consider whether these theorists provide any insight into the problem of political foundation in the contemporary world, such as the attempt to establish a new regime in Iraq.

 

            Course structure: The course will be a mixture of lectures, large group discussion, and small group discussion.

 

Academic Honesty: All work submitted in this course must be your own and produced exclusively for this course. The use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly acknowledged and documented. For the consequences of academic dishonesty, refer to the Schedule of Classes published quarterly. For any specific questions or concerns, please come talk to me before turning in an assignment.

 

            Required Texts, available for purchase at the UO Bookstore:

 

1. Machiavelli, The Discourses (Penguin)

2. Machiavelli, The Prince (Penguin)

3. Hobbes, Leviathan (Hackett)

4. Locke, Second Treatise of Government (Hackett)

5. Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (Hackett)

6. Rousseau, The Social Contract (Penguin)

 

            Course assignments and grading:

 

1. In-class midterm exam: 35% of grade. (Tuesday February 10th)

 

2. Final take-home exam: 45% of grade (10-12 pages, typed and double-spaced, due Thursday, March 18th by 4 p.m. to my mailbox, outside PLC 936)

 

3. Machiavelli paper: 20% of grade. (4 pages, due Friday, January 23rd by 4 p.m. to my mailbox, outside PLC 936)

 

           

Schedule of Readings:

 

Week One

1/6: Course intro

 

1/8: Machiavelli, The Prince, Letter, plus chapters 1-11

 

Week Two

1/13: Machiavelli, The Prince, chpts 15-19, 21-26

 

1/15: Machiavelli, The Discourses: Book I, preface, chpts 1-6, 9, 12, 16-18

 

Week Three

1/20: Machiavelli, The Discourses: Book I, chpts. 34, 42 49, 55, 58:  Book II, chpt 29, Book III, chpts 1, 3, 9

 

1/22: Machiavelli wrap-up

 

1/23 Paper due in my mailbox by 4 p.m.

 

Week Four

1/27: Hobbes, Leviathan, Introduction (pp. 3-5), Chapters 5, 6, and 13

 

1/29: Hobbes, Leviathan, Chapters 14, 15, 16, 17

 

Week Five

2/3: Hobbes, Leviathan, Chapters 18, 19 (1-8), 20 (1-15), 21, 29, 30

 

2/5: Review

 

Week Six

2/10: MIDTERM EXAM

 

2/12: Locke, Second Treatise, chapters I, II, III, IV

 

Week Seven

2/17: Locke, Second Treatise Chapter V, VI (57), VII

 

2/19: Locke, Second Treatise, Chapter VIII, IX, X, XI, XII (143), XIII (149)

 

Week Eight

2/24: Locke, Second Treatise, XVIII, XIX

 

2/26: Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, pp. 1-44 and footnotes 9 and 15

 

Week Nine

3/2: Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, pp. 44-71

 

3/4: Rousseau, The Social Contract, Books I and II

 

Week Ten

3/9: Rousseau, The Social Contract, Books III and IV

 

3/11: Rousseau, wrap-up and course review

 

Final Exam due Thursday March 18th by 4 p.m.