EARLY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHERS

AFTER THE 6TH CENTURY BC

3RD WEEK
EDUC503 FIRST SEMESTER 2022-2023
PRESENTED BY: JEAN ARWINA A. MECIJA
POLITICAL
PHILOSOPHER
a person who studies the
government, laws, politics, and
any other legal authority that may
exist in a country or state. These
philosophers often question the
people’s relationship with their
government.
 PLATO (427 BC-347 BC)
• believes that conflicting interests of
different parts of society can be
harmonized.
• The three most important works of Plato
are ‘The Republic’ (386 BCE), ‘The
Statesman’ (360 BCE) and ‘The Laws’ (347
BCE). Apart from these works, he has
written a number of other smaller books.
 ARISTOTLE (384-322 BC)
• was an ancient Greek philosopher who
lived much of his life in Athens.
• He contributed to virtually every
academic discipline, and can be
considered the founder of political
science.
 MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO
(106-43 BC)
• Roman orator, lawyer, statesman, and
philosopher.
• Cicero proposed that the ideal
government "is formed by an equal
balancing and blending" of monarchy,
democracy, and aristocracy.
 NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI
(1469-1527)
• was an Italian philosopher and writer
during the Renaissance.
• His work “The Prince” goes against the
traditional mindset that a prince derived
his power from God.
 THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679)

• considered to be one of the founders of

modern political philosophy.
• His main concern is the problem of social
and political order: how human beings
can live together in peace and avoid the
danger and fear of civil conflict.
 JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704)

• laid much of the groundwork for the

Enlightenment and made central
contributions to the development of
liberalism.
• His essays on religious tolerance provided
an early model for the separation of
church and state.
 JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU
(1712-1778)
• was one of the most influential thinkers
during the Enlightenment in eighteenth
century Europe.
• He believed that good government must
have the freedom of all its citizens as its
most fundamental objective.
 JOHN STUART MILL
(1806-1873)
• was the most famous and influential
British philosopher of the nineteenth
century.
• he advocated the use of classical
economic theory, philosophical thought,
and social awareness in political decision-
making and legislation.
 KARL MARX
(1818–1883)
• He worked primarily in the realm of
political philosophy and was a famous
advocate for communism.
• Born in Germany, Marx spent much of his
time in London, where he wrote many
famous works including The Communist
Manifesto and Capital (Das Kapital).
 VLADIMIR LENIN
(1870-1924)
• was a Russian revolutionary, politician,
and political philosopher.
• He made significant contributions to the
political philosophy of Marxism. Lenin's
interpretation of Marxism is called
Leninism or Lenin communism.
TIMELINE OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHERS
AFTER THE 6TH CENTURY BC

Ancient Times Renaissance Enlightenment 19th Century

Plato  Niccolo John Stuart Mill

Machiavelli John Locke
Aristotle Karl Marx

Marcus Thomas Hobbes Jean-Jacques

Tullius Cicero Rousseau Vladimir Lenin