A Short History of Political Thinking

Political situations and debates might have changed throughout the millennia, but basic questions have remained the same. What is community and how does it work? What is power, and how is it acquired, maintained or abolished? What is the basis of a just political order? All of these questions were pondered by the greatest minds of the past, from Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, and Hobbes, to Kant and Hegel. Of course, their answers were tailored to specific historical contexts, but there is still a great deal to learn from their reflections. After all, they thought about these questions for the benefit of the general public. Thanks to their originality, radicalism and depth of thinking, there is a wealth of concepts and experiences which might help us to deal with present and future political problems.