MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT

Book Details

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Author: Raymond Plant

• Language: English

• Edition: 2019

• ISBN: 9788131610770

• Pages: 416

• Cover: Hardcover

About the Book
Political Philosophy: A History of Ideas is an essential textbook that presents a thorough analysis and review of modern political thought. Raymond Plant brings clarity and vigor to the complex questions of political theory, exploring them through practical examples that stimulate students' thinking on political values and principles. This book serves as a genuinely introductory guide to understanding political theory, particularly in times of political crisis and uncertainty—a theme as relevant today as it was for the political thinkers of the past like Plato, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Marx.

One of the key strengths of this work is its ability to relate theoretical concepts to real-world issues, encouraging students to reflect on the enduring questions that lie at the heart of political discourse. Topics such as liberalism, rights, justice, utilitarianism, and the relationship between needs and politics are examined with a focus on their implications for society and governance. Plant also tackles issues like liberty, interests, morality, and the state, as well as the profound question of justice and punishment.

Written in an accessible yet rigorous style, this book is a must-read for students of politics, government, and political philosophy, offering not just theoretical insights but also the historical and contemporary contexts that shape modern political debates.

Contents

• Shaking the Foundations of Political Theory

• Human Nature and Political Theory

• Liberalism, Rights and Justice

• Utilitarianism

• The Claims of Need and Politics

• Liberty, Interests and Morality

• Rights and the State

• Justice, Punishment and the State

• Political Philosophy on Dover Beach: Reasoning, Context and Community

About the Author
Raymond Plant is a Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Philosophy at King’s College London and has been a Member of the House of Lords since 1992. Previously, he served as Master of St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, and Professor of European Political Thought at the University of Southampton. His academic interests lie in political, social, and legal philosophy, particularly in the areas of welfare, needs, rights, obligations, and community. He is known for his work on Hegel as a political philosopher and has published extensively on the role of religion in modern state and society. Plant has delivered prominent lectures, including the Stanton Lectures in the Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge, the Sarum and Bampton Lectures in Theology at the University of Oxford, and the Fergusson and Scott Holland Lectures.