HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT

(2023-2024 Spring)

Prof. Dr. H. Bahadır Türk

bahadir.turk@hbv.edu.tr

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The main purpose of this course is to examine the origins and development of
contemporary political concepts such as power, state, freedom, justice, equality,
representation, legitimacy and so forth. In reviewing these concepts, this course
introduces students to major political thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli,
Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course has three main objectives:

1. To introduce students to the origins of our present ideas about politics.

2. To familiarize students with both political concepts and political thinkers.
3. To help students gain an insight on different assumptions and ideas concerning the
nature of politics.

GRADING

Midterm Exam: % 40
Final Exam: % 60

COURSE MATERIALS

A. Required Texts:

David Boucher & Paul Kelly (ed.). 2009. Political Thinkers: From Socrates to
the
Present, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Michael Curtis (ed.), 2008. The Great Political Theories, New York, Harper
Collins.

Janet Coleman, 2004. Political Thought: From Ancient Greece to Early

Christianity, London: Blackwell.
Christopher Rowe and Malcolm Schofield, 2000. The Cambridge History of
Greek and Roman Political Thought, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

G.W.Sheldon, 2003. The History of Political Theory: Ancient Greece to

Modern America, New York: Peter Lang Publishing.

John H. Hallowell and Jene M. Porter, 1997. Political Philosophy: The Search
For Humanity and Order, Ontario: Prentice Hall.

Donald G. Tannenbaum and David Schultz, 1998. Inventors of Ideas: An

Introduction to Western Political Philosopy, New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Iain Hampsher-Monk, 1992. A History of Modern Political Thought : Major

Political Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx, Cambridge: Blackwell

Patricia Springborg, 2006. History of Political Thought: The Emergence of

Political Thinking in the West from Plato to Aquinas, Cambridge : Polity Press.

Plato, 1997. Republic, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth

Aristoteles, 1990. Politics, Cambridge: Harvard University Press

Niccolò Machiavelli, 2005. The Prince, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Thomas Hobbes, 1998. Leviathan, New York : Oxford University Press

John Locke, 1980. Second Treatise of Government, Indianapolis, Ind. :

Hackett.

Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1998. The Social Contract, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth

B. Recommended Texts:

F. M. Cornford, 2017. Sokrates Öncesi ve Sonrası. İstanbul: Türkiye İş Bankası

Kültür Yayınları.

François Dagognet, 2018. Büyük Filozoflar ve Felsefeleri. İstanbul: YKY.

Mehmet Ali Ağaoğulları (ed.). 2011. Sokrates’ten Jakobenlere Batıda Siyasal

Düşünceler, İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları.

J. W. Roberts, 1998. City of Socrates. London: Routledge.

Melissa Lane, 2014. Greek and Roman Political Ideas. London: Penguin
Books.

Christian Ruby, 2012. Siyaset Felsefesine Giriş, İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları.

Paul Cartledge, 2009. Ancient Greek Political Thought in Practice, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

Antony Black, 2000. Political Thought in Europe: 1250-1450. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

Peri Roberts and Peter Such, 2004. An Introduction of Political Thought.

Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Joseph Canning, 2003. A History of Medieval Political Thought. London:

Routledge.

Brian Redhead (et all), 1992. Plato to Nato: Studies in Political Thought,
London: Penguin.

Joseph Losco & Leonard Williams (eds), 2002. Political Theory Classic and
Contemporary Readings, Vol. 1: Thucydides to Machiavelli, Roxbury
Publishing Company

Joseph Losco & Leonard Williams (eds), 2002. Political Theory: Classic and
Contemporary Readings Volume II: Machiavelli to Rawls, Roxbury Publishing
Company

J.H.Burns (ed.), 1991. The Cambridge History of Political Thought: 1450-

1700. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Michael Rosen & Jonathan Wolff (der.), 2005. Siyasal Düşünce, Ankara: Dost
Kitabevi Yayınları.

C. Internet Sources:

Plato’s “The Apology of Socrates”:

http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html

On Plato’s Political Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/platopol/

Plato’s “The Rebuplic” (Book 2):

http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.3.ii.html

Plato’s “Laws” (Book 3):

http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/laws.3.iii.html

On Aristotle’s Political Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/aris-pol/

Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics” (Book 1):

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html

Aristotle’s “Politics” (Book 1):

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.1.one.html
 On St. Augustine’s Views: http://www.iep.utm.edu/augustin/

St. Augustine’s City of God (Book IV):

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/45304/45304-h/45304-h.htm#Page_135

On St. Thomas Aquinas’ Views: http://www.iep.utm.edu/aquinas/

On Medieval Political Texts: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook2.html

Machiavelli- The Prince (Chapter XVII):

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm#chap17

Hobbes-Leviathan (Chapter XIII):

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3207/3207-h/3207-h.htm#link2HCH0013

Locke- Second Treatise of Government (Chapter VIII):

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7370/7370-h/7370-h.htm#CHAPTER_VIII

Rousseau: The Social Contract (Book 2-Chapter IV):

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46333/46333-h/46333-h.htm#CHAPTER_IVb

On Thomas Hobbes’ Moral and Political Philosophy:

http://www.iep.utm.edu/hobmoral/

On John Locke’s Political Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/locke-po/

Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “A Discourse Upon The Origin And The

Foundation Of The Inequality Among Mankind”:
http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/11136/pg11136.html

On Jean Jacques Rousseau: http://www.iep.utm.edu/rousseau/

“Introduction to Political Philosphy with Steven B. Smith”: Lectures at

Yale University (From Plato to Tocqueville):
http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/introduction-to-political-philosophy/
content/downloads
 COURSE OUTLINE

I. POLIS AND POLITICS (2 WEEKS)

II. PLATO (2 WEEKS)

III. ARISTOTLE (2 WEEKS)

IV. MEDIEVAL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY (1 WEEK)

V. NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI (2 WEEKS)

VI. THOMAS HOBBES (2 WEEKS)

VII. JOHN LOCKE (1 WEEK)

VIII. JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU (2 WEEKS)