John Plamenatz – författare

This volume presents lucid and insightful lectures on three great figures from the history of political thought, by John Plamenatz (1912-1975), a leading political philosopher of his time. He explores a range of themes in the political thought of Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Rousseau, at substantially greater length and depth than in his famous work of 1961, Man and Society. The lectures exemplify Plamenatz's view that repeated engagement with the texts of canonical thinkers can substantially enrich and expand our capacity for political reflection. Edited by Mark Philp and Zbigniew Pelczynski, the volume includes annotations to supply Plamenatz's sources and to refer readers to developments in their interpretation. A substantial introduction by Philp sets some of Plamenatz's concerns in the light of trends in recent scholarship, and illuminates the relevance of his work to the contemporary study of political thought.

Originally published in 1965, this volume provides selections of writings by English and French historians, philosophers and political scientists around the themes of freedom and opportunity; the functions of government; the spirit and machinery of free government; the freedom of thought and speech. The selections include Burke’s speeches, Locke’s Treatise of Civil Government, Mill on Liberty, Tocqueville on Democracy in America and Tawney on Equality. At a time in the 21st Century when freedom and democracy are under threat across the world, this book with its explanatory introduction by John Plamenatz has an enduring relevance.