Political philosophy studies fundamental questions about government, justice, rights, liberty, equality, authority, and legitimacy. Major traditions include liberalism, conservatism, socialism, anarchism.
Ancient: Plato, Aristotle. Medieval synthesis. Early modern social contract. 19th century ideologies. Rawls revitalized (1971). Contemporary global issues.
Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Marx, John Rawls, Robert Nozick, Jürgen Habermas.
Justice: distributive and procedural. Liberty versus equality. Rights. Legitimacy. Democracy. Social contract. Global justice.
Shaped democratic institutions. Influenced revolutions. Rawls revitalized field. Relevant to policy debates. Essential to political ideologies.
