18 books like The Muqaddimah, an introduction to history
Tusculanae disputationes
Cicero composed these discourses while in his villa in Tusculum as he was mourning the death of his daughter, in order to convey his philosophy of how to live wisely and well. They take the form of fictional dialogues between Cicero and his friends, with each one focusing on a particular Stoic theme. The first, “On the Contempt of Death,” reminds us that mortality is nothing to be upset about.…
Shares: State, The State, Political science, Early works to 1800
The myth of the state
"The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms is one of the landmarks of twentieth century philosophy. Drawing from the influential work of Wilhelm Dilthey, it transformed neo-Kantianism into a new robust philosophy of culture. The second volume, on Mythical Thinking, analyzes the fundamental layers of perception and expression as well as the articulations with religion and the dialectic with other forms,…
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The modern state
'The Modern State' offers a clear, comprehensive and provocative introduction to one of the most important phenomena of contemporary life. Topics covered include the nation state and its historical context.
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Die Idee der Staatsräson in der neueren Geschichte
"Here is a study by a recognized master in the field of intellectual history of the challenge put by Machiavelli to the idea that there is a universal moral law governing human behavior. Should the political leader act according to the maxim of "my country right or wrong," or should elites follow the principle of "let justice be done"?
Friedrich Meinecke, an acknowledged founder of cultural…
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Du contrat social
The Social Contract, originally published as On the Social Contract; or, Principles of Political Right (French: Du contrat social; ou, Principes du droit politique), is a 1762 French-language book by the Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The book theorizes about the best way to establish a political community in the face of the problems of commercial society, which Rousseau had already…
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Этика
Ethics: Origin and Development is a book by Peter Kropotkin, published posthumously in 1921. It continues the argument of Mutual Aid, that sociable morality is essential to human survival. It was translated into English by Louis S. Friedland and Joseph R. Piroshnikoff in 1924.
(Source: Wikipedia)
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De l'esprit des lois
Nouv. éd., revue sur les meilleurs textes, suivie De la défense de l'esprit des lois par l'autheur
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What is history?
A philosophical interpretation of history, examining the significance of historical study as a science and a reflection of social values.
Shares: Historiography, Political science, Philosophy, History
State and Revolution
Lenin wrote ‘State and Revolution’ in 1917, while he was hiding from the Russian secret police. The book describes the inherent nature of the State as a tool for class oppression, a creation born of one social class’s desire to control all other social classes. Drawing on detailed quotes from Karl Marx and Friedrick Engels, Lenin lays down a Marxist view of the state, describes how a…
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De republica
Cicero's De re publica contains the fullest ancient account of the theory of the mixed constitution and the oldest extant narrative of early Roman history; it concludes with the Dream of Scipio, one of the most influential ancient visions of the afterlife. As a Platonic dialogue set in a Roman context, De re publica is in part an examination of Roman attitudes to Greek culture, in part a…
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Nova Atlantis
New Atlantis is an incomplete utopian novel by Sir Francis Bacon, published posthumously in 1626. It appeared unheralded and tucked into the back of a longer work of natural history, Sylva sylvarum (forest of materials). In New Atlantis, Bacon portrayed a vision of the future of human discovery and knowledge, expressing his aspirations and ideals for humankind. The novel depicts the creation of a…
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Leviathan
Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, from 1651, is one of the first and most influential arguments towards social contract. Written in the midst of the English Civil War, it concerns the structure of government and society and argues for strong central governance and the rule of an absolute sovereign as the way to avoid civil war and chaos.
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Discourses on Livy
A very different work from his well-known The Prince, and posthumously published a year prior to it, Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy is one of his most debated works. Some critics see it as presenting a counterpoint or refutation of The Prince, calling it a key founding document of modern liberal republicanism. Others maintain that it is complementary, arguing that leaders of republics must act…
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Ἱστορίαι
One of the earliest histories of the western world still extant, this gives a contemporary account of the Greco-Persian wars of the fifth century BCE with the rise of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great.
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Prince
"The Prince" is the most controversial book about winning power - and holding on to it - ever written. Machiavelli's tough-minded, pragmatic argument that sometimes it is necessary to abandon ethics to succeed made his name notorious. Yet his book has been read by strategists, politicians and business people ever since as the ultimate guide to realpolitik. How can a leader be strong and decisive,…
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Life of Black Hawk, Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak
The autobiography was dictated by Black Hawk in 1833, using the official U.S. interpreter for the Sacs and Foxes. This took place shortly after the Black Hawk War, when Black Hawk was in the custody of the Government.
The full descriptive title was:
“Life of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak or Black Hawk, embracing the tradition of his nation – Indian wars in which he has been engaged – cause of…
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The Theory of the Leisure Class
Considered the first in-depth critique of consumerism, economist Thorstein Veblen's 1899 book The Theory of the Leisure Class has come to be regarded as one of the great works of economic theory. Using contemporary and anthropological accounts, Veblen held that our economic and social norms are driven by traces of our early tribal life, rather than ideas of utility.
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An Examination of Sir William Hamilton's Philosophy
"In this book, John Stuart Mill examines the philosophy of Sir William Hamilton and discusses the principal philosophical questions in his writings. The acknowledged position of Hamilton at the head of the school of philosophy to which he belongs, has principally determined Mill to connect with his name and writings the speculations and criticisms contained in the present work. The justification…
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