Guiding the reader through the key arguments of the classic figures of Western political philosophy, from Plato through to the modern era, this book includes essays on Aristotle's "Politics", Confucianism, Islamic social philosophy, and Nazism as well as material on 'Roman Law', Anarchism and 'anti-capitalism'.

This is a new edition of Martin Cohen's acclaimed introduction to the greatest political thinkers of all time. Guiding the reader through the key arguments of the classic figures of Western political philosophy, from Plato through to the modern era, this revised edition includes new essays on Aristotle's "Politics", Confucianism, Islamic social philosophy, and Nazism as well as additional material on 'Roman Law', Anarchism and 'anti-capitalism'. Cohen moves chronologically through the development of political philosophy presenting it as a series of 'key texts', which (after setting in context) he allows to speak in their own terms before offering short, precise analyses of their strengths, weaknesses and influence. The book finishes with a discussion of modern liberalism and conservatism. Providing both a broad overview and precise summaries of key ideas, this guide will be invaluable for all students of political thought.

Confucius's Theory of Polite Society (Key Text: Analects)

Plato's Vegetarian Republic (Key Text: Republic)
Aristotle's Hierarchy of Nature (Key Text: Politics)
Mohammed's Message of Doom (Key Text: Koran)
Machiavelli's Psychopathic State (Key text: Discourses)
Hobbes' Wicked World (Key Text: Leviathan)
Locke's Feudal Freedom (Key Text: Essay Concerning the True, Original Extent and End of Civil Government)
Fathers' Constitutional Recipe (Key Texts: The U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence)
Rousseau's Ode to Freedom (Key Text: Discourse on Inequality)
Mr Smith's Excellent Inquiry into Money (Key Text: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations)
Marx's Messianic Materialism
(Key Text: The Communist Manifesto)
Mill's Optimistic Liberalism
(Key text: The Principles of Political Economy)
Durkheim's Strange Science (Key text: Social Rituals and Sacred Objects)
Behold the Man! Hegel, Nietzsche and the Appeal of Fascism (Key Texts: Hegel's Philosophies of History and of Law)
Hitler's Doctrine of Hate (Key text: Mein Kampf)
Mao's Little Red Book
(Key text: The Red Book). Epilogue: Karl Popper and the search for the End of History. References and Sources for Further Reading / Some Internet Sources / Index.