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History Of Western Political Thought

Key information

  • Module code:

    5SSPP202

  • Level:

    5

  • Semester:

      Autumn

  • Credit value:

    15

Module description

This module introduces students to a selection of canonical thinkers in the history of western political thought: Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Mary Wollstonecraft, John-Stuart Mill, and Peter Kropotkin. The module covers a wide range of theoretical perspectives and topics – see the provisional lecture programme below for a sense of the topics we will address. 

This module will particularly suit students who enjoy political theory and would like to become more acquainted with the history of political thought. You might have come across some of these thinkers in your first year, but we will be analysing their texts in far greater detail. There is a lot of reading and much of it is very challenging. In the seminars we will carefully work our way through selections from the primary texts, so do not take this module if you dislike reading books that are difficult to understand. Do take this module if you would like to gain first-hand appreciation of some of the most impressive and important contributions in shaping western political thought.

Assessment details

2,500-word essay (40%) and 3,000-word essay (60%) 

Educational aims & objectives

This course is designed to give students: - a good knowledge of selected political thinkers (e.g. Machiavelli, Rousseau and Mill); - an understanding of different ways of interpreting political texts; - the ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of these texts.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be able to: - understand and evaluate the arguments of selected political thinkers; - compare and assess competing interpretations of those thinkers; - analyse the implications of these texts (e.g. by relating them to their historical context or by applying them to contemporary problems).

Teaching pattern

Provisional lecture programme

 

Week Topic 

1 Machiavelli on Political Morality 

2 Hobbes on Human Nature and Conflict 

3 Hobbes on Political Order and Sovereignty 

4 Montesquieu’s Typology of Government

5 Montesquieu on Political Liberty and Commerce

6 Reading week 

7 Rousseau on Inequality 

8 Rousseau on Freedom and the General Will 

9 Wollstonecraft on the Rights of Women 

10 Mill on Individuality and Liberty of Expression

11 Kropotkin on Anarchist Communism 

Suggested reading list

Indicative reading

  • Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince
  • Thomas Hobbes, On the Citizen
  • Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality; The Social Contract
  • Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women
  • John-Stuart Mill, On Liberty
  • Peter Kropotkin, The Conquest of Bread
Module description disclaimer

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.