Violence and Revolution in Political Thought (16 th -17 th century) [PP5559]

Transcription

1 Violence and Revolution in Political Thought (16 th -17 th century) [PP5559] Module lecturer: Filippo Del Lucchese Office: MJ Office hours: Tues and Thus (Or me to fix a time to meet) Mark Neocleous Office: MJ Mark.Neocleous@brunel.ac.uk Office hours: Weds and Thus Module Aims This course examines major texts in the history of political thought and the questions they rise about violence and revolution between the 16 th and the 17 th century. It aims to place the works studied in the context of the history, philosophical debates and political movements of the early modern period. These aims are to be achieved through a close reading of original texts in the seminars, supported by contextual and background information provided in lectures. Learning Outcomes 1. To achieve an understanding of some of the key works of the early modern period, with a special focus on the concept of violence and revolution; 2. To explore the nature of the relationship between philosophical debate, political commitment and historical change between the 16 th and 17 th century; 3. To encourage reading of primary texts of significant political theorists and actors. Teaching Mode This is a Postgraduate 30 credits module. Contact time consists of one 2 hour-meeting per week. Assessment Details are to be found below. Syllabus The seminars will be based on selected readings of original texts. In the first part these readings will be from the reading list below. You are required to purchase a copy of these books, and you should bring the text with you to all the meetings. A reading selection of other texts will also be supplied by the lecturer. Every student will be expected to have read and made notes on the specified reading. Students will be expected to actively contribute to the discussion. It will be a waste of everyone s time if you attend the seminar without having read and made notes on the required reading; please do not do so, as you will be asked to leave. Reading list N. Machiavelli, The Prince, ed. by Q. Skinner and R. Price (Cambridge UP, 1988); Discourses on Livy, ed. by B. Crick (Penguin, 1984); Florentine Histories, ed. by Harvey C. Mansfield (Princeton UP, 1988) T. Hobbes, Leviathan, ed. by C.B. Macpherson (Penguin, 1982). B. Spinoza, The Political Works, ed. A.G. Wernham (Oxford UP, 1958). J. Locke, Two Treatises of Government, ed. P. Laslett (Cambridge UP, 1989), and J. Locke, 1

2 Political Essays, ed. M. Goldie (Cambridge UP, 1997). Suggested readings H. Arendt, On Revolution [1963] (Penguin, 2006). E. Balibar, Violence and Civility: On the Limits of Political Anthropology, Differences 20 (2009), pp E. Balibar, Violence et civilité : Wellek Library Lectures et autres essais de philosophie politique (Galilée, 2010) [Only available in French]. W. Benjamin, Critique of Violence [1921] in Selected Writings Vol. 1: (Harvard UP, 1996). F. Del Lucchese, «On sedition: Law and Conflit in the Early Modern Age», Borderlands [ 6 (2007). M. Foucault, Society Must be Defended: Lectures at the College De France, (Penguin, 2004). J. Goldstone, Revolution and Rebellion in the Early Modern World (California UP, 1991). C. Hill, The Century of Revolution, (Routledge, 2001). R. Koselleck et alii, Revolution, Rebellion, Aufruhr, Bürgerkrieg, in O. Brunner, W. Conze, R. Koselleck [Hrsg.], Geschichtliche Grundbegriffe. Historisches Lexikon zur politischsozialen Sprache in Deutschland (Clett-Cotta, 1984), pp [Only available in German]. N. Loraux, The Divided City: On Memory and Forgetting in Ancient Athens (Zone Books, 2006). C.B. Macpherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism, Hobbes to Locke (Clarendon press, 1962) A. Negri, Insurgencies : Constituent Power and the Modern State (Minnesota UP, 2009) J. Rancière, Disagreement : Politics and Philosophy (Minnesota UP, 1998). A. Rey, «Révolution». Histoire d un mot, (Gallimard, 1989) [Only available in French]. O. Gierke, Natural Law and the Theory of Society 1550 to 1800 (Beacon Press, 1957). J.T. Johnson, Ideology, Reason, and the Limitation of War: Religious and Secular Concepts, (Princeton UP, 1975). R. Tuck, The Rights of War and Peace: Political Thought and the International Order from Grotius to Kant (Oxford UP, 1999). Peter Paret (ed.), Makers of Modern Strategy, from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age (Oxford UP, 1986) Term 1 Weekly Meetings Week 1 Lecture: Introduction Stasis, seditio, revolution: theoretical tools and historical concepts. Preparing for the module. Seminar: A short business meeting. Please read I. Calvino, «Why Read the Classics?» in The Uses of Literature : Essays (Mariner Books, 1987). Week 2-5 Lecture: Machiavelli These 4 meetings will concentrate on Machiavelli s The Prince and Discourses on Livy. We will be 2

3 working from the Q. Skinner and R. Price edition of The Prince (Cambridge UP, 1988), the B. Crick edition of the Discourses on Livy (Penguin, 1984), and the Harvey C. Mansfield edition of the Florentine Histories (Princeton UP, 1988). You should aim to read the whole of the Prince before we start our discussions, but each week the focus of the discussion will be as follows: Week 2: The Prince, Chapters V, VII, IX, XII Week 3: The Prince, Chapters XVII-XVIII, XXV-XXVI + Discourses on Livy Book I, Chapters 1-6, Week 4: Discourses on Livy Book I, Chapters 25-27, 37, 55, 57-59; Book III, Chapter 1. Week 5: Discourses on Livy Book III, Chapters 6, 9, Florentine Histories, Book III, Chapters 1, Background Reading L. Althusser, Machiavelli and Us, (Verso, 2001). F. Del Lucchese, Conflict, Power and Multitude in Machiavelli and Spinoza, (Continuum, 2009). F. Gilbert, Machiavelli and Guicciardini: Politics and History in Sixteenth-Century Florence, (Princeton UP, 1965). A. Gramsci, Prison Notebooks: Selection (Lawrence & Wishart, 1998); R. Ridolfi, The Life of Niccolò Machiavelli (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1963); P. Stacey, Roman Monarchy and the Renaissance Prince, (Cambridge UP, 2007). M.E. Vatter, Between Form and Event: Machiavelli s Theory of Political Freedom, (Kluwer, 2000). C. Vivanti, Niccolò Machiavelli (Princeton UP, 2011); Week 7 No class Effective Learning Week Week 6 and 8-10 Lecture: Hobbes These 4 meetings will concentrate on Hobbes Leviathan. We will be working from the C.B. Macpherson edition of Leviathan (Penguin, 1982). You should aim to read all the chapters of the Leviathan mentioned below before we start our discussions, but each week the focus of the discussion will be as follows: Week 6: The Introduction, Chapters V, 1-3; Chapters XIII, Chapters XIV, 1-8; 18, 22-23, 27; Week 8: Chapters XV, 1-5, 17, 21; Chapters XVI, 1-4, 13-14; Chapters XVII-XVIII; Week 9: Chapters XIX, 1-7; Chapters XX, 1-3, 10-14, 17-19; Chapters XXI; Chapters XXII, 28-34; Week 10: Chapters XXVI, 5-6, 8, 11; Chapters XXVIII, 1-2, 13, 23; Chapters XXIX, 1-17; Chapters XXXI, 5; Chapters XXXII, 7. Background Reading L. Strauss, The Political Philosophy of Thomas Hobbes (Chicago, 1950). C.B. MacPherson, The Political Theory of Possessive Individualism (Oxford, 1962). R. Tuck, Hobbes (Oxford, 1989). C. Schmitt, The Leviathan in the State Theory of Thomas Hobbes: Meaning and Failure of a Political Symbol (Chicago UP, 2008). P. Zagorin, Hobbes and the Law of Nature (Princeton UP, 2009). R. Harrison, Hobbes, Locke and Confusion s Masterpiece (Cambridge UP, 2003). Week 11 This is a workshop session focusing on your essay. It is entirely optional, but please bear in mind that 3

4 the first essay is worth 30% of the overall marks for the module, and should therefore be treated as seriously as an exam. Exact arrangements to be agreed nearer the time depending on student numbers and preferences. Week 12 Lecture: Conclusions Seminar: No seminar this week. Week 16 Lecture: Introduction Week Lecture : Spinoza Term 2 Weekly Meetings These 4 meetings will concentrate on Spinoza s The Political Works. We will be working from the A.G. Wernham edition of The Political Works (Oxford UP, 1958). You should aim to read the whole chapters of the The Political Works mentioned below before we start our discussions, but each week the focus of the discussion will be as follows: Week 17: Theologico-political Treatise, Chapters XVI-VII Week 18: Theologico-political Treatise, Chapters XVIII-XX and Political Treatise, Chapters 1-2 Week 19: Political Treatise, Chapters Week 20: same as above. Background Reading E. Balibar, Spinoza and Politics, (Verso, 2008). F. Del Lucchese, Conflict, Power and Multitude in Machiavelli and Spinoza, (Continuum, G. Deleuze, Spinoza : Practical Philosophy (City Lights, 2001). W. Montag, Bodies, Masses, Power : Spinoza and His Contemporaries (Verso, 1999). W. Montag, T. Stolze (eds.), The New Spinoza, (Minnesota UP, 2008). A. Negri, Savage Anomaly: The Power of Spinoza s Metaphysics and Politics, (Minnesota UP, 1999). Week 21 No class Effective Learning Week Week Lecture : Locke These 4 meetings will concentrate on the second of Locke's Two Treatises of Government. We will be working from the Cambridge University Press edition, edited by Peter Laslett (first published in 1960 and republished in 1989). You should aim to read the whole of the Second Treatise before we start our discussions, but each week the focus of the discussion will be as follows: Week 22: Chapters I - III Week 23: Chapters IV - V Week 24: Chapters VII - IX Week 25: Chapters X XIX 4

5 Background Reading R. Ashcraft, Revolutionary Politics and Locke s Two Treatises of Governement (Princeton UP, 1986); J. Dunn, Locke (Oxford UP, 1984). J. Dunn, The Political Thought of John Locke (Cambridge, 1969); J.W. Gough, John Locke s Political Philosophy (Clarendon press, 1973); L. Strauss, «Locke s Doctrine of Natural Right», American Political Science Review 52 (1958), pp J. Tully, A Discourse on Property : John Locke and his Adversaries (Cambridge, 1980); J. Tully, An Approach to Political Philosophy: Locke in Contexts (Cambridge UP, 1993). B. Arneil. John Locke and America: The Defence of English Colonialism (Clarendon Press, 1996). R. H. Cox, Locke on War and Peace (Clarendon Press, 1960). R. Tuck, The Rights of War and Peace: Political Thought and the International Order from Grotius to Kant (Oxford UP, 1999). J. Tully, An Approach to Political Philosophy: Locke in Contexts (Cambridge UP, 1993). C.G. Caffentzis, Clipped Coins, Abused Words and Civil Government: John Locke s Philosophy of Money (Autonomedia, 1989). Week 26 This is a workshop session focusing on your essay. It is entirely optional, but please bear in mind that the second essay is worth 70% of the overall marks for the module, and should therefore be treated as seriously as an exam. Exact arrangements to be agreed nearer the time depending on student numbers and preferences Week 27 Lecture: Conclusions Seminar: No seminar this week. Assessment You are required to write two essays. You are reminded that plagiarism, the presentation of another person s work or ideas as your own, is a serious offence and carries serious penalties. To help you avoid this potential pitfall you should consult the rules on plagiarism in the Politics and History Handbook and in the University Senate Ordinances. Please note that a percentage of coursework will be run through Turnitin to detect plagiarism. Please note: For both of your essays you must submit two copies. One copy should be submitted in printed form via the Undergraduate Office and one copy submitted in electronic form via U-link. Assessment deadline to be confirmed. First essay This should be chosen from the first list of essay questions below Should be approximately 2000 words long Worth 30% of the marks for the module Essay due December 15th This essay will be returned with comments Second essay This should be chosen from the second list of essay questions below Should be approximately 4000 words long 5

6 Essay due March 29th Worth 70% of the marks for the module This essay is treated as an exam and so will not be returned A note on sources You are expected to read and use original texts for the essay; that is one of the learning outcomes which will be tested. These should stretch beyond the excerpts read for seminars. The background reading is intended to supplement the reading for the essays. It is not exhaustive. Essay 1 - your first essay must be from this list 1 Outline Machiavelli s theory of fortune as occasion. What is the relationship between revolution and occasion in The Prince?. 2 Critically assess the theological problem concerning revolution in Hobbes political thought. 3 - Discuss the relationship between order and conflict in Machiavelli and Hobbes. Essay 2 your second essay must be from this list 1 What is the difference between power as potentia and power as potestas in Spinoza s political thought? 2 To what extent might it be said that the central theme of Locke's Second Treatise is the principle of just war? 3 Compare and contrast the problem of violence in the state of nature in Spinoza and Locke. 6