Nigel Warburton is lecturer in philosophy at the Open University. He is author of the bestsellers Philosophy: The Basics; Thinking from A-Z; Philosophy: the Classics; Philosophy: Basic Readings, and Freedom: An Introduction with readings, all published by Routledge.Derek Matravers is senior lecturer in philosophy at the Open University. He is the author of Art and Emotion (1998).Jon Pike is staff tutor in Philosophy at the Open University. He is the author of From Aristotle to Marx (1999).

This book is well geared to the needs of courses introducing political philosophy by way of canonical texts.The quality of secondary literature represented is first rate and the quantity is nicely judged for a stimulating but realistic student workload. - THES

• Introduction Chapter 1. Niccolò Machiavelli: 'The Prince' - Nigel Warburton, with readings from Quentin Skinner, Maureen Ramsey, Isaiah Berlin, C.A.J. CodyChapter 2. Thomas Hobbes: 'Leviathan' - Jon Pike, with readings from C.B. Macpherson, Quentin Skinner, Jean Hampton, Carol PatemanChapter 3. John Locke: 'The Second Treatise of Government' - Jon Pike, with readings from David Hume, Jean Hampton, Jeremy Waldron, A. John SimmonsChapter 4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: 'The Social Contract' - Derek Matravers, with readings from John C. Hall, Brian Barry, N.J.H. Dent, Isaiah BerlinChapter 5. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels: 'The German Ideology (Part 1)' - Derek Matravers, with readings from Jonathan Wolff, Jon Pike, G.A. Cohen, Will KymlickaChapter 6. John Stuart Mill: 'On Liberty and The Subjection of Women' - Nigel Warburton, with readings from Isaiah Berlin, Gerald Dworkin, Janet Radcliffe, Richards, Mary Lyndon Shanley