Introduction to Political Theory
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Introduction to Political Theory John Hoffman and Paul Graham Pearson Longman, Harlow, 2006, 504pp., d24.99 ISBN 058247373X British Politics (2006) 1, 428–429. doi:10.1057/palgrave.bp.4200031
This book focuses on two broad areas, the study of ‘political ideologies’ and the study of ‘political ideas’ or concepts. It has a four-part structure based on two conceptual divisions. The first is the distinction between ‘old’ and ‘new’ or ‘classical’ and ‘contemporary’ political ideologies, and the second is between ‘old’ and ‘new’ or ‘classical’ and ‘contemporary’ political ideas. Thus, Part 1 has chapters on classical ideas such as the idea of the state, freedom, equality, justice, democracy and citizenship. Part 2 has chapters on classical ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, anarchism, nationalism and fascism. Part 3 has chapters on the new ideologies of feminism, multiculturalism, ecologism and fundamentalism, and Part 4 has chapters on contemporary ideas such as the idea of difference, human rights, disobedience, terrorism and victimhood. Apart from being clearly written and well presented, the book has three great strengths. The first is that it attempts to relate the more abstract discussion of the ideas and ideologies being considered to ‘real life’ practical political problems, an introduction to which is provided independently of the main narrative in a separate ‘text box.’ The second is that it prepares the way for students to engage directly with the ‘canon’ of ‘classical texts’ in the history of political thought and the ideas of ‘great thinkers’ who wrote them in the language that they themselves employed. It does this again by providing very useful ‘text boxes’ at various points, some of which provide a brief biography of the thinker in question, and some of which provide a useful guide to those reading these texts for the first time. Each chapter has a list of ‘questions’ which students might be asked to consider; a list of references and suggestions for further reading; and also (usefully) some ‘web-links’ that students might fruitfully consult – many of which provide access to primary texts. The third is that it is ‘up to date,’ in that it demonstrates an awareness that if it is to be seen to be ‘relevant’ to present concerns then the study of politics and of political theory in contemporary society cannot confine itself exclusively to the study of the ‘nation state.’ It is, therefore, sensitive to the current ‘re-think’ which is taking place about the nature of ‘politics.’ If I have one reservation it is, perhaps, the title. There is very little in the book about political thought before, say, the 17th century, the time at which the ‘modern state’ is usually thought to have come into existence. By ‘political theory,’ then, the authors actually mean ‘modern political theory’. If this is British Politics 2006 1
Book Reviews
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indeed a problem then there are just two ways of resolving it. One is to change the title and the other would be, in a later revised edition, to add som
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