Intro Political Theory

This is the syllabus for a course I am teaching at Haverford College in Spring 2018: "Introduction to Political Theory: Ideologies and the Struggle to Control Authority." The course examines how major ideologies like liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and populism, on the one hand; and how major theoretical traditions like social contract theory, Utilitarianism, and Marxism, on the other hand, have interpreted central political concepts like freedom, authority, justice, oppression, illegitimacy, solidarity. Special focus on how these ideologies and traditions have struggled over how to define the grounds and limits of authority. For midterm evaluations of the course, please click here.

When May Someone Claim Political Authority over Us? What May They Do With It? When and How Should We Obey, and Resist?

Benito Juarez of Mexico

(Wikimedia Commons; click to enlarge)

Traditionalist Conservatism

Denijs van Alsloot, Ommegang in Brussels, 31 May 1615 (1616; Wikimedia Commons; click to enlarge))

Populism? Nationalist? Authoritarian?

(Redbubble.net; fair use)

Natural Rights and Social Contract Theory

Marx's Theory of the Alienation and Exploitation of Capitalism

Diego Rivera, Night of the Rich, Night of the Poor (1928; Pinterest; fair use)

Is the Eagle Evil and the Lamb Good? Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals

(John James Audubon, Eagle and Lamb; click to enlarge; Wikimedia Commons)

Are Traditions What We Need to Give Coherence and Meaning to a Fragmented Morality? The Virtue Ethics of Alasdair MacIntyre

From the opening sequence of "Fiddler on the Roof," dir. Norman Jewison (1971; fair use)

Prof. Thomas J. Donahue

POLSH 171

Haverford College, Spring 2018

TTH 2:30-4:00

Classroom: Hall 7

Mailbox: Faculty Mailroom in Hall Building

Office Hours: W, 2-4, Coop

E-mail: tjdonahueAThaverford.edu

E-mail policy. You are welcome to e-mail me with questions about the course. I try to answer e-mails within 48 hours of receipt. Don’t expect an answer before then. Political theory is slow food, not fast food.

Academic Dishonesty: Don’t do it! Here is Haverford College's official language on the subject:

"A Note from Your Professor on Academic Integrity at Haverford:

"In a community that thrives on relationships between students and faculty that are based on trust and respect, it is crucial that students understand a professor’s expectations and what it means to do academic work with integrity. Plagiarism and cheating, even if unintentional, undermine the values of the Honor Code and the ability of all students to benefit from the academic freedom and relationships of trust the Code facilitates. Plagiarism is using someone else's work or ideas and presenting them as your own without attribution. Plagiarism can also occur in more subtle forms, such as inadequate paraphrasing, failure to cite another person’s idea even if not directly quoted, failure to attribute the synthesis of various sources in a review article to that author, or accidental incorporation of another’s words into your own paper as a result of careless note-taking. Cheating is another form of academic dishonesty, and it includes not only copying, but also inappropriate collaboration, exceeding the time allowed, and discussion of the form, content, or degree of difficulty of an exam. Please be conscientious about your work, and check with me if anything is unclear."

I may, at any time, use tools like turnitin.com to detect plagiarism.

Students with Disabilities, Special Needs, or Having Difficulties: Here is the Haverford Office of Access and Disability Services' Statement, which I affirm:

"Haverford College is committed to supporting the learning process for all students. Please contact me as soon as possible if you are having difficulties in the course. There are also many resources on campus available to you as a student, including the Office of Academic Resources (https://www.haverford.edu/oar/) and the Office of Access and Disability Services (https://www.haverford.edu/access-and-disability-services/). If you think you may need accommodations because of a disability, you should contact Access and Disability Services at hc-ads@haverford.edu. If you have already been approved to receive academic accommodations and would like to request accommodations in this course because of a disability, please meet with me privately at the beginning of the semester (ideally within the first two weeks) with your verification letter."

Writing response papers: Here are guidelines on what I’m looking for, and what I’m not looking for, but other teachers might be.

Timeline of Events and Ideas: Click here.

How to understand and use theories: Puzzled? You're not alone! Even the professionals find this difficult. Click here for some tips on how to do it.

Course Requirements. To earn full credit, you must:

(1) Do the readings. There is no royal road to doing political theory. To learn to do it, you must read it. I will hold pop quizzes to make sure that you are reading. In return, you will never be required to read more than 121 pages per week in this course--that'll be in Sessions 7 and 8. When we get to reading great works of political theory, most weeks will average around 75 required pages.

(2) Complete the pop quizzes. These will be held every other week or so. They'll be looking to see whether you did the readings, which means that you can describe their main questions, main answers, and the key concepts in those answers.

(3) Attend class and participate in class discussion. I know many people find this daunting. Nevertheless, try. One main aim of the course is to help you improve in discussion--giving and taking reasons. As part of class participation, each student must twice apply the ideologies or theories we are learning by uploading to Moodle an op-ed, artwork, news article, or tweet. This work should express an ideology we are studying, describe one of the problems an ideology makes central, or use one of the central concepts in the theories we are studying. That student will lead off discussion in small groups by explaining why they think the work expresses the ideology or how it uses a central concept of a theory.

(4) Submit 6 response papers. Each week, you may submit one or two papers, of not more than 350 words, that examines some thesis that that week’s reading has argued. The paper may either give its own argument for the thesis, or argue against it. For full credit, you need only submit 6 such papers. Submit hard copies at the beginning of class and post an e-copy to our Moodle forum.

(5) Complete a midterm exam.

(6) Complete a final exam.

Course Assessment. Course marks will be computed on the following distribution: Class Participation: 20%; Pop Quizzes: 10%; 6 Response Papers: 30% (5 % each); Midterm Exam: 20%; Final Exam: 20%

REQUIRED BOOKS (all on reserve in HC libraries)

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O'Neill, Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, 10th ed (Routledge, 2017)

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan: Or, the Matter, Forme, and Power of a Commonwealth, Ecclesiasticall and Civil, ed Edwin Curley (Hackett, 1994)

John Locke, Two Treatises of Government: In the Former, The False Principles, and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and His Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. The Latter Is an Essay Concerning The True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government

J. S. Mill, Utilitarianism and Other Essays

Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morals

Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory, 3rd ed (Univ of Notre Dame Press, 2007)

John Rawls, Justice as Fairness (Belknap Press, 2001)

RECOMMENDED BOOKS (on reserve in HC libraries)

Barbara Goodwin, Using Political Ideas, 6th ed. (Wiley, 2014)

Andrew Heywood, Political Ideologies: An Introduction, 5th ed. (Palgrave, 2012)

Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader, ed. Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O'Neill (Routledge, 2017)

David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature: Being an Attempt to Introduce the Experimental Method of Reasoning into Moral Subjects, ed. D. F. Norton (Cambridge UP, 2000)

Karl Marx, Selected Writings, ed. Lawrence H. Simon (Hackett, 1994)

SCHEDULE

Session 1. Jan 23. Introduction to the Course. Political Theory as Examining Political Concepts and Doctrines. Ideologies as Analyses of Concepts and Funds of Doctrines. How Theoretical Traditions Express and Refine Ideologies. How the Theories We'll Examine Are Expressed and Assumed in Hip Hop.

Optional reading:

Lionel McPherson, “Halfway Revolution: From that Gangsta Hobbes to Radical Liberals,” in Hip Hop and Philosophy: Rhyme 2 Reason, ed. Derrick Darby and Tommie Shelby (Open Court, 2005): 173-182

Barbara Goodwin, “What Is Political Theory?” Using Political Ideas, pp. 3-18

Some of Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem

Session 2. Jan 25. (1) Adolf Eichmann and the Problem of Authority. Is "Authority Told Me to Do It?" a Valid Excuse? (2) The Ideology of Liberalism: Core Ideas.

Hannah Arendt, "The Wannsee Conference," "Duties of a Law-Abiding Citizen," Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil

Andrew Heywood, “Liberalism,” Political Ideologies: An Introduction (Palgrave, 2012): 23-43

Optional: This recording of Bertrand Russell, "Philosophical Liberalism," from his great History of Western Philosophy (1945)

Session 3. Jan 30. Varieties of Liberalism: Classical Liberalism, Social Liberalism, Libertarianism

Andrew Heywood, “Liberalism,” Political Ideologies: An Introduction, pp. 43-60

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O’Neill, “Liberalism Divided,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, 10^th ed (Routledge, 2017): 82-88, 91-103, READ FROM "WELFARE LIBERALISM" ON; SKIP "PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS"

"The Declaration of Independence [of the United States of America]," Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 99-103

Optional reading:

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizens, Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 103-106

Immanuel Kant, “Freedom and Enlightenment,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 110-112

J. S. Mill, “Liberty and Individuality,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 113-120

Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Commonwealth Club Address (1932),” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 131-138

Session 4. Feb 1. (1) Declarations of Liberalisms: Social and Libertarian. (2) Conservatism: Evolution of an Ideology

Barack Obama, “Speech at Osawatomie, Kansas,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 145-155

Donald Allen, “Paternalism vs. Democracy: A Libertarian View,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 164-170

Murray Rothbard, “Libertarian Anarchism,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 170-175

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O’Neill, “Conservatism,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 110-130 ONLY

Session 5. Feb 6. (1) Conservatism: Evolution in the Twentieth Century. (2) Main Doctrines of Conservatism. (3) The Varieties of Conservatism: Traditionalism

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O’Neill, “Conservatism,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 130-146 ONLY

Andrew Heywood, “Conservatism,” Political Ideologies, pp. 65-95 ONLY

Edmund Burke, “Society, Reverence, and the ‘True Natural Aristocracy’,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 189-196

Russell Kirk, “Ten Conservative Principles,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 213-220

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING FIRST TWO RESPONSE PAPERS

Session 6. Feb 8. (1) Varieties of Conservatism: One-Nation Conservatism, Christian Democracy, and U. S. Fusionism. (2) Socialism: Evolution of an Ideology

Roger Scruton, “[One-Nation] Conservatism,” rogerscruton.com

Gabriel Almond, “The Political Ideas of Christian Democracy,” The Journal of Politics 10 (1948): Read 749-763 ONLY

Frank Meyer, “Freedom, Tradition, Conservatism,” Modern Age (Fall 1960): 355-363

Isaiah Berlin, “Socialism and Socialist Theories,” The Sense of Reality: Studies in Ideas and Their History (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1996): 77-92 ONLY

Optional reading on U. S. fusionism: Ronald Reagan, “Modern American Conservatism,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 221-230

Session 7. Feb 13. (1) Evolution of Socialism, Continued. (2) Socialism: Core Doctrines. (3) The Core Doctrines of Marxism

Isaiah Berlin, “Socialism and Socialist Theories,” The Sense of Reality: Studies in Ideas and Their History (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1996): 92-115

Barbara Goodwin, “Socialism,” Using Political Ideas, pp. 101-118 ONLY

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, Daniel O’Neill, “The Socialism of Karl Marx,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 155-172

Optional reading: Julius Nyerere, “The Arusha Declaration and TANU’s Policy on Socialism and Self-Reliance,” (1967)

Session 8. Feb 15. Varieties of Socialism: Communism, Social Democracy, Democratic Socialism

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, Daniel O’Neill, “Socialism and Communism after Marx,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 172-218

Ben Jackson, “Social Democracy and Democratic Socialism,” in The Oxford Handbook of Political Ideologies, ed. M. Freeden et al (Oxford UP, 2013): 348-363

Click for videos and links on democratic socialism.

Click for videos and links on social democracy.

Optional reading:

Bernie Sanders, “On Democratic Socialism in the United States,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 356-364

Eduard Bernstein, “Evolutionary Socialism,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 284-290

V. I. Lenin, “Revisionism, Imperialism, and Revolution,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 291-311

Session 9. Feb 20. (1) Populism: Core Doctrines. (2) Liberation Ideologies and the Politics of Identity: Black Liberation, Women’s Liberation, Gay Liberation

Cas Mudde and Cristobal Rovira Kaltwasser, “Populism,” in The Oxford Handbook of Political Ideologies, ed M. Freeden et al (OUP. 2013): 493-510

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O’Neill, “Liberation Ideologies and the Politics of Identity,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 257-281 ONLY

Optional reading:

Donald J. Trump, “Inaugural Address,” (20 January 2017)

Thomas J. Donahue, "What 'Make America Great Again' Means," (manuscript, Haverford College)

Guy Martin, “The Africanist-Populist Ideology: Popular Democracy and Development in Africa,” African Political Thought (Palgrave, 2012): 129-152

Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 420-425

Marilyn Frye, “Oppression,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 442-452

bell hooks, “Feminism Is for Everybody,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 453-460

John Corvino, “Homosexuality: The Nature and Harm Arguments,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 460-470

Session 10. Feb 22. (1) Liberation Ideologies: Native Peoples’ Liberation, Animal Liberation. Core Doctrines of Liberation Ideologies. (2) Anarchism: Core Doctrines and Evolution.

Terence Ball, Richard Dagger, and Daniel O’Neill, “Liberation Ideologies and the Politics of Identity,” Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, pp. 281-306, SKIP 284-287

Andrew Heywood, “Anarchism,” Political Ideologies, pp. 137-162

Optional reading:

Barbara Goodwin, “Anarchism,” Using Political Ideas, pp. 133-160

Emma Goldman, “Anarchism—What It Really Stands For,” Ideals and Ideologies, pp. 333-343

Session 11. Feb 27. The Early Social Contract and the Theory of the Divine Right of Kings

John Plamenatz, “Divine Right, Absolute Monarchy and Early Theories of the Social Contract,” Man & Society: Political and Social Theories from Machiavelli to Marx, Volume I (Longman, 1991): 216-252 ONLY

Session 12. Mar 1. Hobbes I. (1) The Project of Leviathan. (2) Its View of Human Nature. (3) Theory of the State of Nature as Inevitably Becoming a State of War. (4) Theory of the Laws of Nature. (5) Theory of Representation. (6) Theory of the Grounds of Commonwealth in a Mutual Social Contract among Individuals.

Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters XIII-XVII, pp. 74-110

DEADLINE FOR FOUR TOTAL RESPONSE PAPERS

MIDTERM EXAM GOES OUT: MAR 5

Session 13. Mar 6. Hobbes II. (1) Theory of the Rights of the Sovereign. (2) Theory of Why Sovereignty Is and Ought to be Absolute. (3) Theory of Liberty. (4) Theory of Corporate Action. (5) Theory of What Weakens a Commonwealth.

Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters XVIII, XX-XXII, XXIX, pp. 110-118, 127-155, 210-219

Session 14. Mar 8. Locke I. (1) The Project of the Second Treatise of Government. (2) Theory of the State of Nature as a Social Condition. (2) Theory of the State of War and of Slavery. (3) The Labor Theory of Property.

John Locke, Second Treatise, Chapters I-V, pp. 267-302

Optional reading: John Plamenatz, “Filmer,” Man & Society, Volume I, pp. 252-264

MIDTERM EXAM DUE FRIDAY MAR 9 AT NOON VIA E-MAIL TO TJDONAHUE_AT_HAVERFORD

SPRING BREAK

Session 15. Mar 20. Locke II. (1) Theory of the Establishment of the State by Social Contract to Protect Property and Punish Wrongdoing. (2) Theory of Tyranny.

John Locke, Second Treatise, Chapters VII-IX, XI, XVIII-XIX, pp. 319-353, 398-405

Session 16. Mar 22. John Locke III: Theory of When Government May Be Dissolved. David HUME I: His Utilitarian Critique of Social Contract Theory.

John Locke, Second Treatise, Chapter XIX, ONLY paragraphs 211-232 (pp. 406-419 only)

David Hume, “Of the Original Contract,” pp. 465-481

Session 17. Mar 27. David Hume II: (1) Theory of When We May Resist Government. (2) Theory of When Claims to Authority Are Legitimate, and the Limits of Authority. (3) Theory of the Ground of Political Legitimacy. (4) Theory of Contractual Obligation as an Artificial Rule of Morality, Not a Natural Law

Hume, “Of the measures of allegiance,” “Of the objects of allegiance,” Treatise of Human Nature, pp. 352-362

Hume, “Of the origin of government,” “Of the source of allegiance,” Treatise, pp. 342-352

Hume, "Of the obligation of promises," Treatise, pp. 331-337

Session 18. Mar 29. David Hume III: Theory of Justice and Property As Artificial Rules, Not Laws of Nature. Their Grounds and Limits. MILL I: The Project of Utilitarianism

Hume, "Of the origin of justice and property," "Of the rules, which determine property," "Of the transference of property by consent," Treatise of Human Nature, Book Three, Part 2, Sections 2-4, pp. 311-331.

Mill, "Chapter I: General Remarks," Utilitarianism, pp. 272-276

Mill, "Chapter II: What Utilitarianism Is," Utilitarianism, pp. 276-283 ONLY

Session 19. Apr 3. Mill II: The Main Claims of Utilitarian Moral Theory. How Utilitarians Derive Justice from Utility.

Mill, "Chapter II: What Utilitarianism Is," Utilitarianism, pp. 283-298

Mill, "Chapter V: On the Connection between Justice and Utility," Utilitarianism, pp. 314-338

Session 20. Apr 5. Karl Marx I: (1) Theory of How Private Property and Civil Society Alienate Human Beings from Each Other. (2) Theory That Human History Is a Process of Self-Making by Controlling the Material Conditions of Life.

Karl Marx, “On the Jewish Question,” in Karl Marx, Selected Writings, pp. 1-27

Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach,” Selected Writings, pp. 98-101

Optional reading: Barbara Goodwin, “Marxism,” Using Political Ideas, pp. 67-84

Session 21. Apr 10. Karl Marx II: Theory of Historical Materialism, Diagnosis of Class Oppression, and Strategy for the Communist Party and the Workers of the World

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “The Communist Manifesto,” in Karl Marx, Selected Writings, pp. 157-187

Session 22. Apr 12. Nietzsche I: (1) The Critique of Conventional Morality. (2) Theory of Ressentiment. (3) A New Morality Beyond Good and Evil. (4) Conventional Morality as Slave Morality. (5) The Origin of Conscience. (6) Theory of The Bad Conscience and Guilt

Genealogy of Morals, First Essay, pp. 27-56

Genealogy of Morals, Second Essay, Sections 1-7, pp. 57-70

Optional reading: Brian Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, 2nd ed (Routledge, 2014)

Session 23. Apr 17. Nietzsche II: (1) How Bad Conscience Internalizes Cruelty. (2) How Religion Moralizes Conscience. MacINTYRE I: What If We Have Lost All But a Few Fragments of Moral Thinking? How Moral Debates Today Are Interminable and Incommensurable. Does Almost Everyone Today Accept Emotivism?

Genealogy of Morals, Second Essay, Sections 7-25, pp. 70-96

Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapter 1 and part of Chapter 2, pp. 1-14 (SKIP 14-18)

Session 24. Apr 19. MacIntyre II: (1) How Emotivism Leads Everyone to Try to Manipulate Everyone Else. (2) Why the Enlightenment Project of Grounding Morality Had to Fail. (3) How Nietzsche Is The Philosopher of Our Fragmented, Manipulative Moral Culture. (3) Could Morality Be Saved by Aristotle's Theory of Ethics Based in a View of What Is Good for Humans?

Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, End of Chapter 2, Chapters 3, 5, 9, pp. 18-35, 51-61, 109-120

Session 25. Apr 24. MacIntyre III: (1) A Virtue Ethics.

Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapters 12, 14, 15, 18, pp. 146-164, 181-203

DEADLINE FOR SIX TOTAL RESPONSE PAPERS

Session 26. Apr 26. MacIntyre IV: (1) Are Communal Traditions Required to Make Sense of an Ethical Life and the Human Good? (2) If So, Is the Best Option Today the Benedict Option? RAWLS I: The Project of Justice as Fairness. Goals of Political Philosophy, View of Present Society, and Ideal for Societies.

Alasdair MacIntyre, Chapters 15, 18, pp. 204-226, 256-264

John Rawls, Justice as Fairness, Sections 1-3, pp. 1-10

Session 27. May 1. Rawls II: The Basic Structure of Society as Subject of Justice. A Device for Deriving Principles of Justice: The Original Position. Justification as Public Reasons Aimed at Free and Equal Persons. Reflective Equilibrium as a Test for Theories and Judgments of Justice and Injustice. Two (or Three) Principles of Justice.

Rawls, Justice as Fairness, Sections 4-14, pp. 10-52

Session 28. May 3. (1) Rawls III: The Contents of the Principles: Equal Liberties, Fair Equality of Opportunity, Maximin. How These Interpret the Liberty, Equality, Fraternity of the French Revolution. Deriving the Principles from the Original Position. (2) How The Theories We've Examined Are Expressed and Assumed in Hip Hop. (3) What Is the Point of Political Philosophy?

Rawls, Justice as Fairness, Sections 15-26, pp. 52-94

Lionel McPherson, “Halfway Revolution: From that Gangsta Hobbes to Radical Liberals,” in Hip Hop and Philosophy: Rhyme 2 Reason, ed. Derrick Darby and Tommie Shelby (Open Court, 2005): 173-182

FINAL EXAM GOES OUT WEDS May 9th, 12:01am

DUE FOR SENIORS SAT MAY 12th, 5pm, via e-mail

DUE FOR ALL OTHERS FRI MAY 18th, 12PM, via e-mail