Harvey Mansfield begins his introductory essay on political philosophy from the perspective of partisanship, demonstrating how everyone is and should be a partisan, how this fact has shaped political debate throughout history, and how the modernist focus on facts over nature has skewed political thinkers away from political philosophy toward mere utilitarianism.
Insets throughout offer brief biographical sketches of some of political philosophy's key players, supplementing what can be a difficult text. Mansfield is clear and concise, but the principles of political philosophy can be esoteric, especially from the perspective of the novice or amateur.
Of course, the main positions throughout history have been the conservative and the liberal perspectives, and Mansfield clearly presents these in their actual sense, rather than the often muddled language used so often in public discourse. He leaves any final choice to the student, even while directing them toward important authors and works to help them begin to make sense of a conversation almost as old as the human race itself.
Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews
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