Political Theory

Political Theory, subdivision of political science, traditionally concerned with the body of ideas expressed by political philosophers. Political theory largely addresses the nature and justification of political obligation and authority and the goals of political action.

The State. Throughout history a central concern of political theorists has been the notion of the state. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato presented a theory of the state in his discourse The Republic, which attempted to reconcile moral theory and political practice. Plato presented an idea of a community where property would be owned in common and an aristocracy of philosopher-kings would rule. His doctrines have been distorted to assert the supremacy of the state over the individual.

Fourth-century BC Greek philosopher Aristotle is generally regarded as the founder of the scientific approach to political theory. His Politics combined an empirical investigation of facts and a critical inquiry into their ideal possibilities.

Church and State. In the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century AD) political writing dealt largely with the struggle for supremacy between the Roman Catholic church and the Holy Roman Empire. Italian philosopher Saint Thomas Aquinas defended the role of the church in his Summa Theologica (1265-1273), while Italian poet Dante Alighieri argued in his 14th-century treatise, On Monarchy, for a united Christendom under emperor and pope. In The Prince (1532), Italian statesman Niccolo Machiavelli transcended the traditional church-state debate by evaluating the problems and possibilities of governments seeking to maintain power.

The Social Contract In his work Leviathan (1651), English philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued that the sovereign's power should be unlimited, because the state originated in a so-called social contract, whereby individuals accept a common superior power to provide protection and make possible the satisfaction of certain human desires. English philosopher John Locke argued in the 17th century that sovereignty resided in the people, and that governments could be legitimately overthrown if they failed to meet their obligations to the people. Marxism and Other Forms of Totalitarianism German philosopher Karl Marx argued that the abolition of property, and therefore of class exploitation, would enable individuals to contribute according to their abilities and take according to their needs. The state, according to Marx, would eventually disappear. In the 20th century Marxism was subject to conflicting interpretations. It served as the official ideology of several totalitarian states and inspired many revolutionary and nationalist movements.