THE MODERN TRADITION TR

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1 Fall, 2014, Government 304, Survey of Political Theory: THE MODERN TRADITION TR 11am-12:20 in Morton 1 (Section 1) and TR 12:30-1:50 in Morton 39 (Section 2), Course Description Ross Carroll Blow Hall 151 rcarroll@wm.edu Office hours: Wednesdays 9am-12:00 This is course is a survey of early modern political thought from the Renaissance to the end of the French Revolution. This period is hugely important for the trajectory of political thought in the West because it departs from ancient and medieval modes of thought and articulates principles and concepts that inform later modern and contemporary political theories. We thus witness in early modernity the formation of many of our own ideas (popular sovereignty, property, rights etc.) and those with which we are reasonably familiar. But the importance of studying these ideas comes not from their comforting familiarity but from their unsettling and profound differences, as well. The excitement of studying them comes from their visionary boldness, their palpable urgency and their reflection (and creation) of political turbulences of revolutionary proportions. Thematically the course will focus on three major areas of controversy, each of which nests questions that continue to preoccupy us today. The first is the epochal transition of political identity from subject to citizen. Between the beginning and the end of the early modern period the dominant category within which to think of persons, politically, changed from one of subjection to kings or sovereigns to one of citizenship between formally free persons endowed with equal rights. This monumental transition was far from smooth, and, as we shall see, engendered the exclusion of women, slaves, the property-less and peoples of color, among others. The second major theme of the course is authority and obedience. What is the nature of political obligation? To whom do citizens or subjects owe obedience and on what grounds? Could a breach in trust or contract between subjects and sovereigns legitimate resistance or even revolution? Third, and finally, we will trace the fluid role played by religion in modern political theorizing. Contrary to what is often assumed, the arrival of modern modes of thinking did not amount to an eclipsing of religion in political thought. Many of the theorists we will consider here, irrespective of their own religious convictions (or lack thereof), were committed to reinventing religious practices for the citizens of modern political societies. Our reading will mostly comprise four of the most canonical theorists of early modernity, Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. The first is often referred to as the inaugurator of a distinctly modern way of thinking about political questions. The latter three are the giants of the social contract, a tradition of political thought that has proven resilient to this day. We will also look in on the lesser known Étienne de La Boétie, an early diagnostician of political subjection and the psychological habits that sustain it. Our survey will conclude with Mary Wollstonecraft s excoriation of the tyranny of man in her Vindication of the Rights of Woman. 1

2 Course Materials Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, trans. Harvey Mansfield (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998). The Discourses on Livy, Julia Conaway Bondanella and Peter Bondanella trans. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997). Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Richard Tuck ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996). John Locke, Two Treatises of Government, Peter Laslett ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998). Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Basic Political Writings, Donald A. Cress trans. (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1987). Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Eileen Hunt Botting ed. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014). All of the above are available for purchase at the campus bookstore on Duke of Gloucester street. Any further readings posted on Blackboard should be printed for reading and availability in class or displayed on a tablet device (which will be used for no other function during class). Laptops are not permitted (see below). Course Requirements and Evaluation Written Requirements: The course requirements consist of both written and participatory components. The written requirements are: (1) A brief (600 words maximum) text analysis due in class September 18th. This is an exercise in close textual exegesis and will focus on a passage that you will select from a list handed out the week before. It will allow you the opportunity to sharpen your textual interpretive skills in advance of the midterm. (2) A midterm paper of 8-9 pages due in class on October 9 th. (3) A final paper, also of 8-9 pages, due December 4 th. I will provide the prompts/topics well in advance. Papers must be submitted in hard copy in class but also electronically through Blackboard. (4) In addition, there will be a final exam on December 16 th at 2pm for section 1 and on December 8 th at 9am for section 2. Note that these exam dates are provisional and may be subject to change. My primary concern is that your written work in the class reflects a close personal study and engagement with the assigned readings. For that reason, you need not broadly consult secondary sources or scholarly commentaries. I will assess all submitted written work using the following criteria, or by asking the following questions: SUBSTANCE: Is there a clear argument, a position, or an aim expressed (for the paper) in response to the topic, in the first paragraph? Does the aim, position, etc. serve as a guiding thread that weaves the paper and its parts into a coherent narrative? Can I follow the paper s logic of organization easily? Is the paper citing the texts imaginatively and energetically to support its argument/interpretation (not as stand-ins for an argument)? Does it cite pages and passages with care as part of its scholarly apparatus? Does the essay demonstrate a thorough comprehension and understanding of the thinkers and texts it s investigating? Is it blissfully free of vague claims, polemics, and unsubstantiated assertions? If the student were 2

3 reading instead of writing it would they be impressed with its richness of content and persuasive quality? STYLE: Does the paper display the author s lively and energetic voice or does it plod along as though narcotized? Is the paper s mode of expression lucid, clear, crystalline, or murky, convoluted, and incomprehensible? Does the paper exhibit facility with grammar, sentence (and paragraph) structure, correct spelling, and care with its overall presentation? Does the paper follow an accepted academic style and correctly present text citations, footnotes, and references? Please retain a copy of all graded work until final grades have been processed. Participation: Your participation grade will be largely based on my assessment of your willingness and ability to stimulate discussion in class. I will be asking myself whether you have completed the assigned readings and whether you can bring your understanding of the text to bear in the discussion. There will also be a Blackboard component to the participation grade. Starting from week 2 you will either pose a question of your own relating to the text or post a response to someone else s question, on four different weeks of your choice. Note: please do not merely second another student s response. Ditto or I basically concur with X are not (on their own at least) adequate interventions into a discussion. You may of course express disagreement or agreement but be sure to make your own contribution to the conversation. You may not post retroactively on an earlier week s readings. In other words, if you reach week 14 and realize in a panic that you have not been posting then it is too late to make amends by contributing to conversations that are already over. Your overall course grade will be determined as follows: Text Analysis 10% Due September 18 th Mid-term paper 25% Due October 9 th Final paper 30% Due December 4 th Participation 10% Final Exam 25% December 16 th 2pm (section 1) and December 8 th 9am (section 2) On the final day of class, December 4 th, we will have an in-class quiz (fill in the blanks style). A strong performance in the quiz can boost your overall grade by a percentage point. A poor performance has no impact on your grade at all. In other words this is an end of class exercise that can only help you. Important Note: Students must satisfy all course requirements to receive a passing grade. Grading Standards for Mid-term and Final Papers A paper in the A-category displays exceptional grace and demonstrates a high degree of mastery over the fundamentals of academic writing: it establishes and advances a clear and innovative thesis; employs a logical and progressive structure; analyzes evidence insightfully 3

4 and in depth; and is written in a clear, sophisticated style. Everything that appears in the paper is there in support of the argument. A B-range paper resembles an A-range paper in some ways, but may exhibit a vague or inconsistently argued thesis; employ a generally logical but somewhat disorganized or undeveloped structure; include well-chosen but sometimes unanalyzed and undigested evidence; or be written in an unsophisticated or grammatically problematic style. A C-range paper resembles a B-range paper in some ways, but may also feature a confusing, simple, or descriptive thesis; lack a coherent structure; fail to present enough evidence, or present evidence that is insufficiently analyzed; drop in quotes without properly contextualizing or citing them; and be written in a generally unclear, simplistic, or technically flawed style. A D-range paper resembles a C-range paper but may include a purely descriptive or obvious thesis; display an unfocused, confusing, or rambling structure; and draw on little analyzed evidence and sources. A D-range paper has trouble engaging with the assignment and may not show awareness of the conventions of academic discourse and style. It does, however, show signs of attempting to engage with the issues and topics of the assignment. An F paper is similar to a D-range paper but is significantly shorter than the assigned length and addresses the assignment superficially. The assignment may have been substantially misunderstood and the paper s diction may be so poor that one cannot discern what the argument is supposed to be. Course Understandings Reading: It is essential that you keep up with the readings each week. Always bring the assigned reading to class, as we will frequently turn back to the text over the course of our discussion. The texts for this class are not quick reads ; nor can you glance over their paragraphs quickly to catch their leading ideas. You must assign enough time to read the assigned texts closely and carefully. To reiterate, you may consult a selection of the supplementary readings listed in the course schedule but you are not obliged to. My preference is for you to read the primary texts thoughtfully and critically. Laptops and other devices: Excepting cases of documented medical need, students may not bring laptops to class. Cell phones should be silenced (not just on vibrate). This is all to ensure attention to lecture and discussion, as well as to show respect for the class and for classmates around you. Late Papers: The deadlines listed in the syllabus should be treated as firm. Late written work will lose 3% (or about a third of a letter grade) for each day overdue. If you encounter difficulties with a deadline owing to religious observance, a medical emergency, or a family emergency please get in touch as early as you can. The earlier you get in touch, the easier it will be to make accommodations or alternative arrangements. 4

5 Academic Integrity: Anyone found to have been plagiarizing or otherwise acting academically dishonest will receive an automatic F grade for the class and be reported to the Honor Council. In case you are in any doubt about what the William and Mary Honor Code entails you can read the full statement of it here: handbook.pdf Attendance: You may be absent three times from class without penalty and without needing to provide an explanation. In the case of an extended absence (more than three consecutive days), you will need to provide documentation from the Dean of Students Office. Continual unexplained absences will result in a gradual lowering of your participation grade. Office hours: Please plan on periodic visits to office hours, the better to engage issues in the course. My office is Blow Hall 151 and can be found in the Social Science Research Methods Center (directly below the Charles Center). If you are unable to make it to my regular office hours (Wednesdays, 9am-12:00) me to see if we can find a mutually convenient time to meet. To keep traffic at a manageable level, I ll ask you to limit your inquiries to logistical and administrative issues. I check my fairly regularly, and I will try to respond to your messages within 24 hours. If you have substantive questions on the content of the course, please do attend my office hours and I ll happily go over them with you in person then. Writing Centers: The Writing Resources Center is located in Swem Library. I strongly recommend that you avail of it. They offer in-person consultations in the first floor of Swem and Skype consultations by appointment in the afternoons and evenings. Go to to get more information or make an appointment online. Reading Schedule (readings marked with * will be made available on Blackboard) Week 1: Introduction Aug. 28 th : Course Overview (no reading) Week 2: Foxes and Lions: Machiavelli s Political Ethics Sept. 2 nd : The Prince, Dedicatory Letter to Lorenzo de Medici and chapters 1-14 Sept. 4 th : The Prince, chapters Quentin Skinner, Machiavelli: A Brief Introduction Timothy J. Lukes, Lionizing Machiavelli, American Political Science Review 95, no.3 (2001) 5

6 Isaiah Berlin, The Originality of Machiavelli in Against the Current: Essays in the History of Ideas Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman: Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli Sheldon Wolin, Politics and Vision, chapter 7 Mary Dietz, Trapping the Prince: Machiavelli and the Politics of Deception, American Political Science Review 80, no. 3 (1986) Week 3: What is Republican Freedom? Sept. 9 th : Discourses on Livy, Greetings to Buondelmonti and Rucellai and book I, chapters 1-8 Sept. 11 th : Discourses on Livy, book I, chapters 9-13, 16-18, 49, 55, 58; book II, chapters 1-2 Gisela Bock, Quentin Skinner and Maurizio Viroli eds. Machiavelli and Republicanism Sebastian de Grazia, Machiavelli in Hell Maurizio Viroli, Machiavelli s God Ronald Beiner, Civil Religion: A Dialogue in the History of Political Philosophy, chapters 2-4 Week 4: Machiavelli and Conspiracy Sept. 16 th : Machiavelli, The Discourses on Livy, book III, chapters 1-4, and 6 Sept. 18 th : Étienne de La Boétie, The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude, parts 1-3* [text analysis due in class] John P. McCormick, Machiavellian Democracy Mikael Hörnqvist, Machiavelli and Empire Week 5: The English Civil War and Hobbes Predicament Sept. 23 rd : Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 1-4 Sept. 25 th : Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 5-7, and Quentin Skinner, Visions of Politics Volume 3: Hobbes and Civil Science Samantha Frost, Lessons from a Materialist Thinker: Hobbesian Reflections on Ethics and Politics Week 6: From Multitude to People Sept. 30 th : Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 13-14, and 16 Oct. 2 nd : Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 17-18, 21, 24, and 26 Philip Pettit, Made with Words: Hobbes on Language Mind and Politics, chapter 5. Deborah Baumgold, Hobbesian Absolutism and the Paradox of Modern Contractarianism European Journal of Political Theory 8, no. 2 (2009) 6

7 Week 7: Hobbes Civil Religion Oct. 7 th : Hobbes Leviathan, chapters Oct. 9 th : Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 31-33, and 43, Review and Conclusion [midterm papers due in class] Ronald Beiner, Civil Religion: A Dialogue in the History of Political Philosophy, chapter 5 James Farr, Atomes of Scripture: Hobbes on the Politics of Biblical Interpretation in Mary Dietz ed. Hobbes and Political Theory Week 8: Locke on Nature, War and Slavery Oct. 14 th : Fall break no class Oct. 16 th : Locke, Two Treatises on Government, book II, chapters 1-4 Richard Ashcraft, Revolutionary Politics and Locke s Two Treatises of Government in Political Theory, vol. 8, no. 4 (1980) James Tully, An Approach to Political Philosophy: Locke in Contexts John Marshall, John Locke, Resistance, Religion and Responsibility James Farr, Locke, Natural Law and New World Slavery Political Theory 36, no. 4 (2008) Week 9: A Different Kind of Contract Oct. 21 st : Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters 5-7 Oct. 23 rd : Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters 8-11 A. John Simmons, Locke s State of Nature Political Theory,17, no. 3 (1989) Peter Josephson, The Great Art of Government: Locke s Use of Consent Kirstie McClure, Judging Politics: Lockean Politics and the Limits of Consent Week 10: Appealing to Heaven Oct. 28 th : Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters Oct. 30 th : Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters Peter Laslett, Introduction in the Laslett edition of the Two Treatises Samuel Moyn, Appealing to Heaven: Jephthah, John Locke, and Just War Hebraic Political Studies 4, no. 3 (2009) Week 11: Rousseau s Natural History of Subjection Nov 4 th : Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men, pp Nov 6 th : Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality among Men, pp (consult Rousseau s own notes as you go along) 7

8 Supplementary Reading; Ernst Cassirer, The Question of Jean-Jacques Rousseau Judith Shklar, Men and Citizens: A Study of Rousseau s Social Theory Tracy Strong, Jean-Jacques Rousseau: the Politics of the Ordinary N.J. H. Dent, Rousseau on Amour-Propre, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume LXXII (1998) Week 12: Citizenship as Obedience to One s Self? Nov. 11 th : Rousseau, On the Social Contract, books I-II Nov. 13 th : Rousseau, On the Social Contract, books III-IV James Miller, Rousseau, Dreamer of Democracy William T. Bluhm, Freedom in the Social Contract: Rousseau s Legitimate Chains Polity 16, no. 3 (1984) Steven J. Affeldt, The Force of Freedom: Rousseau on Forcing to be Free Political Theory 27, no. 3 (1999) Patrick Riley, A Possible Explanation of Rousseau's General Will in Morris (ed.) The Social Contract Theorists and in the American Political Science Review vol. 64, no. 1 (1970) Week 13: Wollstonecraft and the Tyranny of Man Nov. 18 th : Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, preface, and chapters 1-3 Nov. 20 th : Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, chapter 4, and chapter 5 (section 1) The essays in Maria J. Falco ed. Feminist Interpretations of Mary Wollstonecraft Virginia Sapiro, A Vindication of Political Virtue: The Political Theory of Mary Wollstonecraft Moira Gatens, The Oppressed State of my Sex: Wollstonecraft on Reason, Feeling and Equality in Carole Pateman and Mary Lyndon Shanley eds. Feminist Interpretations and Political Theory Week 14: An Education into Citizenship Nov. 25 th : Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, chapters 6-9, Nov. 27 th : Thanksgiving [no class] Natalie Fuehrer Taylor, The Political Philosophy of Mary Wollstonecraft Barbara Taylor, Mary Wollstonecraft and the Feminist Imagination Wendy Gunther-Canada, Rebel Writer: Mary Wollstonecraft and Enlightenment Politics Week 15: Farewell and Conclusion Dec. 2 nd : Course summary 8

9 Dec 4 th : Final Papers due and Final quiz (in class) Exam Period December 8 th, 9am: Final Exam for Section 2 (location TBD) Dec. 16 th, 2pm: Final Exam for Section 1 (location TBD) The instructor reserves the right to alter the syllabus during the semester. 9

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