Intro to Political Thought

This course examines key ideas and concepts, as well as eternal questions, in the history of western political thought. We will ask controversial questions such as: What is justice? Can we achieve democracy without eliminating poverty? What are the qualities of a good leader? Should we even have leaders? Can women be philosopher-kings? How does class struggle affect the participation of citizens? What are the qualities of a good citizen? These questions have been debated for over 2500 years. The debate continues in this course as we learn what the major thinkers said about these issues.