PO280 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Jonathan Swift, Misdemeanor, Individualism
Document Summary
Political writers wrote at the time of a crisis/thought. Modern time- socioeconomic revolution- political revolution, french revolution: people challenged natural rights; Post-modern against meta-narratives triumph of capitalism. Socrates" death (399) free thinking elitist. The ideal state (plato): we need an ideal system, where the problems are solved once and for all. The practical state (aristotle) : aristotle criticized plato"s work: we need to find a practical state. City of god (st. augstine, st. thomas: city for men (marsilius) Crisis of christian of universalism: renaissance and reformation. 1660 restoration of monarchy the new king thought that he would go back to the old ways. 1688-89 glorious revolution: james 2 dethroned and replaced by william and mary. 1658-66 classical education oxford; bored, read mostly romance novels. 1677- joins household of whig party founder earl of shaftesbury. 1673-75 secretary for council on trade and plantations; also invests in slave trade.
