An Introduction to Political Philosophy

Written by Jonathan Wolff

Why obey the state at all? A beginner's guide to the big questions of politics.

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256 pages

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Bookroo's summary

An introductory college textbook on political philosophy. Jonathan Wolff works through the central questions, among them what life would be like without a state, why anyone should obey it, who should rule, the place of liberty and how property should be shared, comparing the answers of thinkers from Plato and Hobbes to Mill, Marx and Rawls.

From the publisher

Why should some have the right to pass power? What would happen without government? How much power should the state have? An ideal introduction for students with no background in the subject, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, Third Edition, combines clarity and a conversational style with a thought-provoking account of the central questions in political philosophy. Author Jonathan Wolff explores the subject through a series of enduring and timeless questions, jumping centuries and millennia to explore the most influential answers and demonstrate how political philosophy is relevant to contemporary issues.

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