Princeton Readings in Political Thought: Essential Texts Since Plato

Decent selections from the classics - Plato, Aristotle, Locke and Machiavelli, most notably. But the translations are likely to be different from what you've read before, and the selections (Machiavelli, Plato) are very abridged. If you need a good primer, or just want to brush up on your Philosophy in politics, this is a great book. Otherwise, I recommend finding the full texts online or finding later translations.

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This is an excellent resource for teachers scheduled to instruct students in the history of political thought; it is a good resource for the students themselves; it is also useful to the general reader who might be interested in exploring the range of political thinking from classical Greek philosophers to more modern (and postmodern) political thinkers (such as Jurgen Habermas, John Rawls, Michel Foucault, and Michael Walzer). Indeed, I have used this as a supplementary textbook in an undergraduate political philosophy course that I once taught. The volume begins with the Greek thinkers, such as Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle. For good measure, the Roman figure, Cicero, is included. Then, on to the Middle Ages, with exemplars such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. Modern Political thought? Machiavelli to Hobbes to Locke to Nietzsche. Then, a section entitled "In Our Times," including Weber, Mosca, Pareto, Orwell, Malcolm X, and those already mentioned earlier. One subtheme is female political thinkers over time, from Christine de Pizan to Marie-Olympes de Gouges to Emma Goldman to Hannah Arendt. This is a rich book that provides a sampling of a plentitude of political thinkers over the millennia. A wonderful resource.

A very enjoyable book. I especially like the selections on Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Machiavelli. Such selections reflect a theoretical unity, rather than a distance, between the theorists' works. Thus, rather than select excerpts unconnected to other excerpts, the editors attempt to develop chronological theme(s) around the works--when possible--that allow students to see progressions, pauses, and reliances, upon previous political writings. Because of this organized unity--which I think works--I could examine Hobbes' 'state of nature' in light of Locke's, and explore how Locke's theory of man is at least an acknowledgment--if not an extension-of Hobbes' work. Similarly, I could look to the authors of the Federalist papers and explore how such concepts of government were influenced, if only indirectly, by the writings of Hobbes and/or Locke.In addition to offering a wide representation of the Modern era, the book nicely represents the Classical and Medieval periods, with useful selections from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Augustine. Useful, too, are the selections from _The Prince_ and _Discourses_. Unlike some books which offer selections only from _Prince_, Princeton incorporates _Discourses_, which I think furthers and grounds a deeper understanding of _Prince_. Thorough and extensive introductions, as well as bold headings within the excerpts, serve as introductions, of course, but also ways to direct the reader to interesting transitions I would recommend this book for any Poly Theory course, especially one with a focus on classical and modern political thought.

This book was a harmonious accompaniment to my first college Political Science course; its contents are an artfully selected collection of thought-provoking essays. I can truly say that this book and the course in which it was used were instrumental in my ultimate decision to pursue Political Science! I offer the highest reccomendations for students studying politics to read this text.