Modern Political Thought

Modern Political Thought GOVT 358 Fall 2011, Christopher Newport University W 7:00–10:00 p.m., McMurran 360 Matthew D. Mendham, Ph.D. Office: McMurran 208 Office hours: Tues. 11:00–12:00, Wed. 3:00–4:00, Thurs. 11:00–12:00 and 2:30–4:00; and by appointment Phone: 757-594-7066 Email: [email protected] Course Description Our everyday life in the developed world is marked by various convictions about how politics and society should work. Whethe left o ight, p og essi e o o se ati e, ode people pla e a uniquely high emphasis on liberty, equality, prosperity, and security. Where did these values come from? What principles could support them, and how persuasive are they? And when these values come into conflict, which are the most important? Should we sacrifice liberty to attain security—or the other way around? Should we increase equality even if it decreases prosperity? These are the sorts of questions pursued by the great modern political thinkers and the many who have followed them (whether knowingly or unknowingly). As we trace the origins of our modern principles as well as a deeper understanding of the premodern world from which it arose, we can begin discerning whether we are better off due to modern ideas of liberty, equality, prosperity, and security. Is the modern world marked by robust freedom, human flourishing, and fundamental progress—or oppression, misery, and decline? Or if modern thought and society have great achievements as well as serious oversights, which versions of modernity are most—and least—worth defending? We shall explore such questions alongside a of hu a it ’s ost i flue tial thi ke s, including Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Tocqueville, Marx, Mill, and Nietzsche. Required Materials Bring a hard copy of the assigned reading to class every day. Please do not find online equivalents instead, since the translations are often inadequate, and the different pagination will affect your participation in class and citation in essays. David Wootton, ed. Modern Political Thought: Readings from Machiavelli to Nietzsche, second edition. I dia apolis: Ha kett, . I“BN: . A e iated as Wootto .) Additio al eadi gs o Bla k oa d a e iated as BB . Course Requirements and Grading Attendance and Participation (10% of final grade). Regular attendance and at least occasional discussion are expected of each student. Those who are rarely absent (i.e., o o e tha o e eek’s worth of unexcused absences) will earn 80% credit here, with higher grades being reserved for those who are rarely absent and have contributed to discussion. If you find it difficult to speak in class, you can compensate for this by speaking to me about our readings during my office hours. Participation in Campus Intellectual Life (5% of final grade). You are expected to attend two academic le tu es o se i a s held o CNU’s a pus this se este hi h a e elated to politi s o philosoph . Various opportunities will be mentioned in class, and you should feel free to consult me about other possibilities. Within a week after the event, email me an informal statement of 3-5 sentences about its content. You will earn full credit as long as it is clear that you did attend two events and attempted to pay attention. If you cannot attend two events or do not wish to, you may submit a second Respo se Essa i stead. Quizzes (20% of final grade). Several of these will be given throughout the semester. A quiz may be given at the beginning of the extended course period, covering each of the readings to be discussed for that extended period. The questions are mainly intended to ensure that the students have done the reading entirely and carefully, but will not expect profound mastery of the material. Quizzes will consist of simple formats (e.g., short answer, multiple choice). The lowest quiz grade will be removed; this would include any quiz which was missed due to unexcused absence, which would thus earn no credit. No make-up quizzes will be offered for unexcused absences. Response Essay (5% of final grade). One essay of 2-3 pages, analyzing one assigned reading. It is due at the beginning of the class period after the class in which that reading was discussed. It should present an overview of the whole reading, focus on one theme, or highlight a set of related themes. Although the primary goal is to demonstrate thorough comprehension, the essay should defend a particular interpretation, or offer an evaluative response. No outside research is expected or recommended, although brief comparisons with other class readings and themes are welcome.  Due by Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the beginning of class, if you have not submitted one previously. Brief Research Essay (15% of final grade). One 6-7 page essay. It should analyze two (or more) readings assigned in the course, while also integrating one piece of outside research, of comparable length. (In some cases, a student may wish to analyze only one course reading, which is acceptable if the outside research is increased proportionally.) The essay should form a coherent whole with a thesis—whether synthesizing, contrasting, defending, or criticizing the sources. The outside research could be secondary scholarship, or additional reading of a primary source.  Due by Friday, Dec. 2, at 11:00 p.m., sent by email attachment. Exams (Midterm, 20% of final grade; Final, 25% of final grade). The Midterm Exam will cover nearly the first half of the course; the Final Exam will cover slightly more than the second half of the course. Although the Final might allude to ideas from the first half of the semester by way of comparison, it is not cumulative. Each exam will draw from readings, lectures, and discussions. Each one will consist of a multiple choice and/or short-answer format, designed to reveal how deeply and clearly the student has grasped the fundamental ideas and arguments studied in the course. Course and University Policies Honor code. The CNU ho o ode ill e e fo ed: O ho o , I ill ai tai the highest sta da ds of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility. This means I will not lie, cheat or steal, and as a member of this a ade i o u it , a o itted to eati g a e i o e t of espe t a d utual t ust. Please o ta t with any questions or concerns about the proper use of sources, or about collaboration with other students. 2 e Disabilities. Students with documented disabilities are required to notify the instructor on the first day of class and in private if accommodation is needed. The instructor will provide students with disabilities with all reasonable accommodations, but they are not exempted from fulfilling the normal requirements of the course. Work completed before the student notifies the instructor of his/her disability may be counted toward the final grade at the sole discretion of the instructor. If you believe that you have a disability, you should make an appointment to see me to discuss your rd eeds. I o de to e ei e a a o odatio , ou disa ilit ust e o e o d i the Dea of “tude ts’ offi e, Floor David Student Union/DSU (Telephone: 594-7160). Tutoring. The Center for Academic Success offers free assistance for CNU students in writing, mathematics, science, languages, and other subjects. The Center is located in room 240 of the Trible Library. For more information please visit http://tutors.cnu.edu or phone 594-7684. Success. If I become concerned about your course performance, attendance, engagement, or well-being, I will speak with you first. I may also submit an Institutional Referral Form that will be received by the Center for Academic Success. Depending upon the nature of my concern it also may be received by Counseling Services. If you are an athlete then Jenny Nuttycombe will receive notice. Someone will contact you to help determine what will help you succeed. Please remember that this is a means for me to support you and help foster your success at CNU. Course Schedule W Aug. 24, session #1. Introductory comments. W Aug. 24, session #2. Be ja i Co sta t, O A ie t a d Mode 558-69. Li e t , i Wootto , pp. W Aug. 31, #1. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince (1513–1516, in Wootton), Dedication and Chaps. 1–2, pp. 9-10; Chaps. 5–8, pp. 15-24. W Aug. 31, #2. The Prince, Chap. 9, pp. 24-25; Chap. 12, pp. 28-30; Chaps. 15–18, pp. 33-38. (Read Chapters 15, 17, and 18 twice). W Sep. 7, #1. The Prince, Chap. 21, pp. 45-46; Chaps. 24–26, pp. 48-52. Machiavelli, Letter to Francesco Vettori (1513, in Wootton), pp. 6-8. W Sep. 7, #2. Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy (c. 1517), Dedication, and Book I, Preface, pp. 53-54 (in Wootton); I.9–12, pp. 62-68 (in Wootton); I.26 and I.37 (in BB). W Sep. 14, #1. Discourses on Livy, I.55, pp. 71-74 (in Wootton); I.58 (in BB); Book II, Preface, pp. 74-76; II.2, pp. 78-81; III.1, pp. 82-85 (in Wootton); III.25 and III.41 (in BB). 3 W Sep. 14, #2. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651, in Wootton), Introduction, pp. 117-18; Chap. 2, pp. 119-22; Chap. 11, pp. 148-52; Chap. 13, pp. 158-60; Chap. 14, ¶¶1-6, pp. 160-61 (end after first full paragraph on 161); Re o e ded: fo o ds o usages i Ho es that a e u fa ilia to ou, o sult Ed i Cu le ’s Glossary to Leviathan (in BB). W Sep. 21, #1. Leviathan, Chap. 15, ¶¶1-8, pp. 165-67, and ¶¶34-41, pp. 170-71 (end 167 at first paragraph break; begin 170 at fourth full paragraph— These a e the la s of atu e —and finish the chapter). Chaps. 17-18, pp. 173-79; Chap. 19, ¶¶1-12, pp. 179-82 (end 182 at last full paragraph); Chap. 21, pp. 188-93. W Sep. 21, #2. Leviathan, Chap. 27, ¶¶1-8, pp. 217-19 (end 219 after second paragraph); Chap. 29, pp. 228-33; Chap. 31, ¶¶40-41, p. 246 (begin at first full paragraph and finish the chapter); Chap. 37, ¶13, pp. 257-58 (begin 257 at second full paragraph— I this aptitude of a ki d — and finish the chapter); A Review, and Conclusion, ¶¶1-9, pp. 272-74 (end after first full paragraph on 274). W Sep. 28, #1. John Locke, A Letter Concerning Toleration (1685, published 1689; in BB), pp. 390-410. W Sep. 28, #2. A Letter Concerning Toleration, pp. 410-33. W Oct. 5, #1. Midterm Exam. W Oct. 5, #2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Preface to Narcissus (1753, in BB), pp. 92-106. (For all Rousseau texts, do not skip the footnotes, which are his own and often important.) W Oct. 12, #1. Rousseau, On the Social Contract, or Principles of Political Right (1762, in Wootton), I.1– 9, pp. 427-36. W Oct. 12, #2. Social Contract, II.1–8, pp. 436-45; II.11–12, pp. 447-49. W Oct. 19, #1. Social Contract, III.4–6, pp. 454-59; III.9, p. 462; III.12, p. 465; III.15, pp. 466-68.  Response Essay due at the beginning of class, if you have not submitted one previously. W Oct. 19, #2. Social Contract, III.18, pp. 469-70; IV.2, pp. 471-72; IV.6-8, pp. 480-87. W Oct. 26, #1. Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France (1789–1790, in Wootton), pp. 515-17 (begin 515 after ellipses; end 517 at ellipses). Alexis de Tocqueville, The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856, in BB), I.5, pp. 105-7; III.1, pp. 195-202. 4 W Oct. 26, #2. The Old Regime and the Revolution, III.2-3, pp. 202-17; III.6, pp. 230-33; III.8, pp. 241-47. W Nov. 2, #1. Ka l Ma , O the Je ish Questio , i Wootto , se tio I, pp. -54. W Nov. 2, #2. O the Je ish Questio , se tio II, pp. -57. Ma a d F ied i h E gels, Add ess to the Co u ist League , i BB , pp. -85. Ma , C iti ue of the Gotha P og a , i Wootto , se tio I. , pp. -52; section IV, pp. 855-57. W Nov. 9, #1. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (1859, in Wootton), Chap. 1, pp. 592-99; Chap. 2, pp. 599-600 (end 600 after the first paragraph). W Nov. 9, #2. On Liberty, Chap. 5, pp. 639-51. W Nov. 16, #1. Mill, The Subjection of Women (1869, in Wootton), Chap. 1, p. 652, and pp. 660-61 (end 652 after first paragraph; begin 660 at second paragraph break and finish that paragraph on 661); Chap. 4, pp. 693-99 (end 699 at the paragraph break). W Nov. 16, #2. The Subjection of Women, Chap. 1, pp. 665-66 (begin 665 at the second paragraph break and finish the chapter); Chap. 2, pp. 669-77 (begin 669 at the paragraph break and finish the chapter). W Nov. 23. No class (Thanksgiving Recess). W Nov. 30, #1. Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (1886, in BB), Preface, pp. 3-4; Part 2, §44, pp. 40-42; Part 3, §§61-62, pp. 54-57; Part 5, §195, p. 84; §§201-2, pp. 88-91; Part 7, §225, pp. 116-17; §§238-39, pp. 127-30; Part 8, §242, pp. 133-34; §251, pp. 141-43; Part 9, §260, pp. 153-56; §262, pp. 158-60. W Nov. 30, #2. Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality (1887), First Treatise, §5, pp. 871-72; §7, pp. 873-74; §11, pp. 877-78; §16, pp. 882-83 (in Wootton); Second Treatise, §10, pp. 891-92; §§16-17, pp. 897-98; §24, pp. 902-3 (in Wootton); Third Treatise, §9 (in BB). Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–1885), First Part, §5, pp. 9-11 (in BB). F Dec. 2. Brief Research Essay is due at 11:00 p.m., sent by email attachment. F Dec. 9. Final Exam. 8:00–10:30 p.m., in our normal classroom. 5 Chronology Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) John Locke (1632-1704) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Edmund Burke (1729-1797) Benjamin Constant (1767-1830) Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) Karl Marx (1818-1883) Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) 1450 1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 6 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950