Cannonical thinkers

Plato

Plato's philosophy centered on his theory of forms, advocating for a society governed by philosopher-kings.

Recommended Text: "The Republic"

Aristotle

Aristotle focused on empirical observation and categorization, including the categorization of different forms of government.

Recommended Text: "Politics"

Karl Marx

Marx proposed a theory of history and economics centered on class struggle and the idea of historical materialism.

Recommended Text: "The Communist Manifesto" (with Friedrich Engels)

Max Weber

Weber's work on bureaucracy, rationality, and the sociology of religion has had a significant impact on social theory.

Recommended Text: "Economy and Society"

Hannah Arendt

Arendt's work explored the nature of power, authority, and totalitarianism, emphasizing the importance of active political engagement.

Recommended Text: "The Origins of Totalitarianism"

John Rawls

Rawls is known for his theory of justice as fairness, emphasizing equal basic liberties and the difference principle.

Recommended Text: "A Theory of Justice"

Michel Foucault

Foucault's work examined how power operates in societies, particularly through institutions and discourses.

Recommended Text: "Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison"

Amartya Sen

Sen has contributed to welfare economics, social choice theory, and development economics, focusing on human capabilities.

Recommended Text: "Development as Freedom"

Niccolò Machiavelli

Machiavelli is often viewed as the father of modern political science. He is renowned for his realistic approach to politics, divorced from traditional moral and ethical considerations. He emphasized the need for pragmatism and sometimes ruthless tactics for maintaining power and control in governance.

Recommended Text: "The Prince" - This seminal work is a guide on how rulers should maintain power, focusing on practical realities rather than abstract ideals.

Thomas Hobbes

Hobbes is known for his social contract theory, which posits that in a state of nature, human life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." To escape this, individuals surrender some freedoms to a sovereign power that maintains peace and order.

Recommended Text: "Leviathan" - This book outlines Hobbes' theory of civil government in relation to the social contract and the nature of human beings.

John Locke

Locke, a key figure in the development of liberalism, argued that individuals have natural rights, including life, liberty, and property. He believed in the social contract, where government exists with the consent of the governed and should protect these natural rights.

Recommended Text: "Two Treatises of Government" - In this work, Locke outlines his theories of government, including the idea that legitimate government is based on the consent of the governed and the protection of natural rights.

John Stuart Mill

Mill is a central figure in liberal political theory, known for his advocacy of utilitarianism and individual freedom. He emphasized the importance of liberty as a means to personal and societal progress and argued for the protection of individual liberties against societal and governmental intrusion.

Recommended Text: "On Liberty" - This essay argues for the preservation and protection of individual autonomy against government interference, and is a foundational text in liberal political thought.

Thucydides

Thucydides, an ancient Greek historian, is best known for his work on the Peloponnesian War. He is often credited with being one of the first true historians. His work is notable for its strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis in terms of cause and effect, without reference to intervention by the gods, as was common at the time.

Recommended Text: "History of the Peloponnesian War" - This text offers a detailed contemporary account of the war between Athens and Sparta, providing profound insights into power, democracy, and human nature.

Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton was a founding father of the United States, key proponent of the U.S. Constitution, and an advocate for a strong central government. His ideas shaped the American financial system and laid the groundwork for American political structure.

Recommended Text: "The Federalist Papers" (co-authored with James Madison and John Jay) - This collection of 85 articles and essays promotes the ratification of the United States Constitution and explains the philosophy and motivations behind its design.

Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese philosopher, physician, and politician who is considered the father of modern China. He played a key role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and was a proponent of the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood.

Recommended Text: "The Three Principles of the People" - This text outlines Sun Yat-sen's vision of the Chinese nation, combining Western and Eastern political ideas.