Great Political Thinkers: Machiavelli, Hobbes, Mill, Marx

by Quentin Skinner, Richard Tuck, William Thomas

Great Political Thinkers contains introductions to four of the most influential political theorists in the Western tradition. Written by experts in the fields of history, philosophy, and political science, these concise yet authoritative essays examine the thought and works of Machiaveilli, whose name lives on today as a byword for duplicity; Hobbes, the first great English philosopher; Mill, a liberal thinker and champion of individual liberty; and Marx, whose theories have exerted the single most profound effect on twentieth century politics. Small masterpieces of compression and readability, these studies offer readers important insights into past masters whose ideas still affect the way we think today.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Politics

468 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 1992

About the author

Educated at Caius College, Cambridge, where he was elected to a Fellowship upon obtaining a double-starred first in History, Quentin Skinner accepted, however, a teaching Fellowship at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he taught until 2008, except for four years in the 1970s spent at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1978 he was appointed to the chair of Political Science at Cambridge University, and subsequently regarded as one of the two principal members (along with J.G.A. Pocock) of the influential 'Cambridge School' of the history of political thought, best known for its attention to the 'languages' of political thought.

Skinner's primary interest in the 1970s and 1980s was the modern idea of the state, which resulted in two of his most highly regarded works, The Foundations of Modern Political Thought: Volume I: The Renaissance and The Foundations of Modern Political Thought: Volume II: The Age of Reformation.

Reviews

[Preston]

Great Political Thinkers is actually a compilation of 4 distinct sections, representing 4 great political philosophers: Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Stuart Mill, and Karl Marx. So far I've read the sections on Machiavelli and Hobbes.

Machiavelli is an oft caracatured figure in pop culture and even among major political figures and intellectuals. Few people actually care to examine the complexity and genius of his work. Machiavelli was once of the first political philosophers to examine the reality of political relations. Machiavelli was educated in the humanist tradition; and his colleagues continued in this vein of thought while Machiavelli made his breakthroughs. Humanists in the rennaissance exhaulted a set of civic virtues, often those articulated by the Roman statesman Cicero, such as honesty, moderation, patriotism, and liberality. Machiavelli realized that this idealized view of politics was fatally incomplete, and in his The Prince he examined the darker side of human nature. Machiavelli celibrated a authoritative leader who utilized a purely rational decision making process and bold, aggressive action to achieve his goals. His dismissal of conventional morals, even permitting a virtuous prince reason to tell falsehoods to his people and use fierce brutality, shocked his contemporaries. Yet Machiavelli was merely describing the world as it was, in my opinion. Those who ignored what he said were either hypocritical or swallowed up by others willing to subsume the means to the ends.

Machiavelli, in fact, is revealed by his later work as a firm proponent of republican values. Yet he existed in a time whenever his native Italy was broken up into countless city-states and was plagued by the Pope and French and Spanish invaders. In his opinion, only a strong Prince could unite Italy and rid it of the "barbarians." Only then could an ideal and free republic be established.

[Nicholas Woode-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unreasonable amounts of typos and technical errors mar an otherwise decent collection of introductions and original analysis of four of the most influential political philosophers in history.

Machiavelli by Quentin Skinner:

A fresh look at Machiavelli with some enlightening information on his background and life. Any scholar short of a Machiavelli specialist will find this a sufficient introduction to the arguable founder of political science.

Hobbes by Richard Tuck:

An overall decent examination of the life and theory of Thomas Hobbes and how his theories interacted with European philosophy and science at the time. Interesting and thought-provoking.

Mills by William Thomas:

Slightly confusing at times but gets better nearer the end where the author expands on Mills theories and legacy.

Marx by Peter Singer

A good expose on Marxist thinking, but by no means the best. The biography was interesting but Singer's explanations of Marx's thinking is not that innovative and clearer and better texts exist.

Overall, a solid book that political philosophy scholars will find valuable.