Introduction to Development Studies THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF ZANZIBAR (SUZA) DS 301 Political thought: Brief Introduction. Prepared by : Mr. Abdulrahman Mustafa Nahoda 1

History of Political Thought Classical Thought (Greek and Roman) Judeo-Christian Thought (Old and New Testaments) Medieval Thought (Christian Ascendancy) Renaissance Thought (Rebirth of Classical) Reformation Thought (Return to Bible) Enlightenment Thought (The Rise of Science) Analytic Thought (English/Scottish Tradition) Continental Thought (French/German Tradition)

Classical Thought Political thought of the CLASSICAL or ancient Western world. This usually means the Golden Age of Greece (Athens) 400–300 B.C. and Rome (200 B.C.–A.D. 200). Among the major classical Greek political philosophers are SOCRATES, PLATO, and ARISTOTLE The leading Roman or Latin political thinkers are Cato, Posidonius, CICERO, TACITUS, and MARCUS AURELIUS.

Classical Thought Differences exist among different classical thinkers, they are considered similar in their concerns for JUSTICE, VIRTUE, devotion to the common good, and citizen participation in rule through rational deliberation

Classical Thought The main threat to civic virtue and the just REPUBLIC is TYRANNY, or the concentration of political and economic power in the hands of a few people who use government to further their own interests. This is the classical definition of corruption Provisions should be made in the just republic to prevent the concentration of power and wealth and corruption.

Medieval Though The political ideas in Western Europe from approximately the fall of the Roman Empire (A.D. 500) to the Protestant REFORMATION (A.D. 1500). It concerns with competing images of JUSTICE and claims to STATE power of the CATHOLIC Church, the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE feudal kings and princes,CORPORATISM, and popular SOVEREIGNTY.

Medieval Though Most deputes were genuine concerns over justice, right, and responsibility to God and people. The Medieval church genuinely believed that it was best for Europe to have a uniform creed and governance.

Renaissance Thought Meaning the “rebirth” of CLASSICAL (Greek and Roman) HUMANISM in 13th- to 16th-century Italy, Renaissance political thought is seen as a rejection of MEDIEVAL CHRISTIAN conceptions (St. AUGUSTINE) of humanity and politics.

Renaissance Thought Reviving the REPUBLICAN ideals of ARISTOTLE, PLATO, and CICERO, Renaissance philosophy focused on the REALISM of worldly politics (as opposed to religious or spiritual dimensions), humanity’s social nature and reason, direct participation of all citizens in governance, and the separation of CHURCH AND STATE.

Reformation Thought The political thought of the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the 1500s. This view of proper CHURCH-ANDSTATE relations broke with the CATHOLIC Church (St.Thomas AQUINAS) and was expressed by Martin LUTHER, John CALVIN, the French HUGUENOTS, and English PURITANS.

Reformation Thought It emphasizes the EQUALITY of all believers, fosters a DEMOCRATIC or REPUBLICAN structure in the government and church, and advocates LIBERTY of individual conscience (freedom of religion)

Reformation Thought Given the large number of churches that emerged during the Reformation (Lutheran, Reformed, BAPTIST, PRESBYTERIAN, etc.), it is not a single movement but a collection of movements that greatly changed MODERN Europe and America.

Enlightenment Thought An intellectual and political movement in Europe and the United States in the 18th century that optimistically believed that human reason and goodness couldcreate a peaceful, prosperous society and perfect people.

Enlightenment Thought They believed in progress—that humans and society can progress and improve (economically, morally, politically) by using their reason. Hence, the Enlightenment emphasized education as important to social and individual progress.

Enlightenment Thought Scots David HUME and Adam SMITH; and Americans Thomas JEFFERSON, Benjamin FRANKLIN, and Thomas PAINE. Enlightenment thinkers were critical of TRADITION, the past, religion, HIERARCHY, and CONSERVATISM.

Enlightenment Thought Thinkers associated with the Enlightenment are Frenchmen Jean- Jacques ROUSSEAU, François-Marie VOLTAIRE, and Charles de MONTESQUIEU (the philosophes); Englishmen John LOCKE and Jeremy BENTHAM; German philosopher Immanuel KANT;

Enlightenment Thought Enlightenment ideas influenced the DEMOCRATIC revolutions in Europe and America in the 1700s. They were carried on by the socialist and communist ideas of Karl MARX, Friedrich ENGELS, and V. I. LENIN. These Enlightenment views were criticized by many conservative thinkers (such as Edmund BURKE),

Enlightenment Thought By the mid-20th century, the failed social revolutions in France, Russia, and China; two world wars; and the brutality of fascism challenged the Enlightenment optimism over the goodness of humans, social progress, and human reason

Continental philosophy Continental philosophy, in contemporary usage, refers to a set of traditions of 19th and 20th century philosophy from mainland Europe. This sense of the term originated among English-speaking philosophers in the second half of the 20th century, who found it useful for referring to a range of thinkers and traditions outside the analytic movement.Europeanalytic movement

Continental philosophy Continental philosophy includes the following movements: German idealism, phenomenology, existentialism hermeneutics, structuralism, post- structuralism, French feminism, the critical theory of the Frankfurt School, some other branches of Western Marxism and psychoanalysis.German idealism phenomenologyexistentialism hermeneuticsstructuralismpost- structuralismFrench feminismcritical theoryFrankfurt SchoolWestern Marxism psychoanalysis

Analytic philosophy Analytic philosophy (sometimes analytical philosophy) is a generic term for a style of philosophy that came to dominate English-speaking countries in the 20th century. In the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Scandinavia, Australia, and New ZealandphilosophyEnglish-speaking countriesUnited States United KingdomCanadaScandinavia AustraliaNew Zealand

Analytical and Continental 'Analytic' refers to the type of philosophy characterized by soundness of argument and clarity of presentation. 'Continental' demarcates philosophy that is written in a style that is less concerned with these desiderata.