Moral Foundations of Politics

This introductory module introduces the instructor, course structure, and what makes it distinctive.

This module explores what makes a government legitimate, using the Third Reich and Eichmann case as examples. It introduces Enlightenment political theory and the workmanship ideal.

This module examines classical and neoclassical utilitarianism, starting with historical context and moving to contemporary political debates. It covers Bentham's and Mill's theories, including the harm principle.

This module focuses on Marx's Enlightenment theory, the foundations of capitalism theory, and its major weaknesses. It covers Marx's challenge to classical political economy, exploitation theory, and the labor theory of value.

This module examines classical formulations of the Social Contract Tradition, including works by Hobbes, Locke, Kant, and Rawls. It covers concepts like consent, the veil of ignorance, and principles of justice.

This module continues the exploration of Social Contract Theory, focusing on Nozick's account. It covers the invisible hand evolution of the state, compensation, and critiques of patterned principles of distributive justice.

This module explores the rejection of Enlightenment political thinking, examining both classical and contemporary formulations. It covers Burke's and Devlin's conservatism, and MacIntyre's critique of the Enlightenment project.

This module deals with the nature of and justifications for democratic politics, and their relations to Enlightenment and Anti-Enlightenment political thinking. It covers various models of democracy, electoral systems, and the relationship between democracy and human freedom.