POL 200Y5Y – Political Theory

Summer 2019

Essay topics for the second writing assignment

Please write your essay on one of the following three topics:

1. Is Machiavelli a ‘teacher of evil’?

2. Explain and assess Hobbes’s argument for an absolute, undivided sovereign as

the only way to exit the state of nature.

3. Explain and assess Locke’s argument for limited government.

Some reminders about the assignment:

1. Your essay should be based on a close reading of the primary text. You should
not use any secondary sources.
2. The word limit is 2,000 words, which does not include references/bibliography.
3. Plagiarism is a serious offence!
4. You are allowed to use longer direct quotes from the primary text (but not
excessively). Direct quotes should not amount to more than 25% of the length of
your essay.
5. Remember, paraphrasing an argument does not make you the ‘rightful owner’ of
that argument – you must include a reference to the passage that is being
paraphrased.
6. You should use the in-text (or parenthetical) style of author-date references from
the Chicago Manual of Style.
7. All in-text references should include exact page numbers for the passages being
discussed.
8. Please make sure to consult the writing instructions and grading rubric posted
before the first essay assignment.