This student textbook introduces the concept of political theory from various viewpoints, such as justice and the law, government and the state, and equality and human rights. It analyzes the concepts of power, liberty and a series of political principles.

Presents unabridged works and substantive abridgments in preeminent translations, along with balanced, lucid, sophisticated introductions. This book includes a wide and balanced selection of many of the more important texts of modern political thought. To its great credit, it provides pertinent excerpts from frequently neglected authors, such as Calvin and Hume, which it nicely juxtaposes appear to be good, and the introductions to each section help to situate the writers in their historical and intellectual context and to alert students to some of the central issues that arise in the texts. This book offers an economical and useful approach to modern political thought.

History of Political Theory: An Introduction is an engaging introduction to the main figures in the history of Western Political Theory and their most important works. The second volume traces the origin and development of liberal political theory, and so the foundations for contemporary views.

Modern Political Thinkers and Ideas is an exciting new text that provides students with a clearly presented introduction to some of the key areas of modern political thought. Uniquely combining historical and philosophical approaches to the subject, it describes the writings and ideas of the most influential thinkers of the modern era. Modern Political Thinkers and Ideas features: * the main concepts in modern political theory such as: the State and Sovereignty; Political Obligation and Civil Disobedience; Liberty; Rights; Equality and Justice; Democracy * the ideas of key thinkers such as: Machiavelli; Hobbes; Locke; Paine; Rousseau; Burke; Mill; Bentham; Marx; Rawls; Hayek * a clear and instructive framework for each chapter which provides students with: (a) the significance of each concept in modern political thought; (b) what major political thinkers had to say about each concept; and (c) the relevance of key concepts to contemporary argument and debate.