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8988299 No.8988299 [Reply] [Original]

Hello, recently started reading some books about political theory. So far i read The Prince and Two Treatises of Goverment by John Locke.
Now i want to read more about state organization and Separation of powers, should i continue with Leviathan by Hobbes or with Montesquieu's "Of The Spirit of The Laws"?
Is Leviathan just a book defending Absolute Monarchies?

Thank you in advance

>> No.8988313

>>8988299
Leviathan began the foundation of liberal, democratic thought.

Very puzzled why you didn't just start with Leviathan, Locke and Rousseau and whoever are impossible to fully understand without Hobbes. Actually, read the Prince before you do anything else.

>> No.8988436

>>8988313
>Very puzzled why you didn't just start with Leviathan, Locke and Rousseau and whoever are impossible to fully understand without Hobbes. Actually, read the Prince before you do anything else.

Thank you anon , i already read the prince, i will go for Hobbes next then. Any other essential books about the subject?

>> No.8988448

>>8988299
Leviathan is more about power adapting to social change. Get a background in these guys, particularly Rousseau, then study the French Revolution in depth. Everything has been a derivative of it as an event.

>> No.8988515

>>8988436
I agree with what >>8988448 said, the French Revolution is an absolute must, I learned more about political science by reading about the French Revolution than I did reading any one theorist.

I absolutely ADORE Burke, his Reflections on the Revolution in France is fantastic, and I fancy de Maistre a lot too, but he's very very fringe a lot of hippies will call you a fascist for reading him (they're WRONG).

I had to read Emile by Rousseau for school once, I hated it because he rambles like a mother fucker, but if you're interested in communism (as opposed to Marxist Communism, the one everybody is familiar with) you should give it a shot (maybe a heavily annotated or abridged version would be best).

>> No.8988563

>>8988515
>>8988448
Thank you anons, i will totally follow your advices. Really excited to read all of that :)

>> No.8988725

>>8988299
Read Thucydides. 'The History of the Peloponnesian War' is the prince if it were a narrative

>> No.8988802

>>8988563
When you've gotten through Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau (who discuss theory, at the end of the day) be sure to read Tocqueville too.

>> No.8989268

>>8988313
Wrong.

>> No.8989278

>>8988313
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/09/29/science-shows-thomas-hobbes-was-right--which-is-why-the-right-wi/

>> No.8989297

>>8988563
Don't fucking read Emile tho, that's didactical garbage, The Social Contract is Rousseau's must

>> No.8990001
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8990001

has anyone here read pic related? Is it any good?

>> No.8990697

Is Hobbes /ourguy/ ?

>> No.8991123
File: 19 KB, 442x556, Edmund_Burke_by_James_Northcote.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
8991123

*blocks your path*
*criticises your revolution*

>> No.8992764
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8992764

>>8990001
>Women
Dropped.

>> No.8992804

>>8990001
First 3 chapters are good, but afterwards it gets very samey

>> No.8992814

>>8988299
>should i continue with Leviathan by Hobbes
If you understand it yes, if no then don't, mainly because it's very difficult and would require you to study it to get most of the arguments.
You should also read Mill's On Liberty; and Law, liberty and Morality by H. L. A. Hart as they are often considered good beginners in political philosophy and their arguments are very common in political theory

>> No.8992822
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8992822

>>8988299
Leviathan is autism

>>8988313
this poster is autistic leviathan is the antithesis of classical liberalism

>> No.8992968

>>8992822
>Leviathan is autism
This. Theres literally not one worthwhile idea in leviathan. Once you discredit the SON as a bs idea, the rest of the book falls apart.

>> No.8992981

If you want to understand the American form of government and soceity you need to read two books: The Federalist Papers and de Tocqueville's Democracy in America.

>> No.8992986

>>8988313
>Leviathan began the foundation of liberal, democratic thought
But according to Hobbes, since the Soverign powers take on a sort of meta SON between eachother, the best thing would be to have a singular soverign power. Hobbes didnt really advocate to strongly for any specific type of government as far as I know, but his ideas are more supportive of authoritarianism

>> No.8993031
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8993031

>start a political philosophy class this quarter
>realize that every single political philosopher is spooked the fuck out
Is there ANY non spooky political philosophies? Im starting to believe anarchy is the only way

>> No.8994278

bump