Hey blades, Who is your favorite political theorist? Or political thinker? Mine is definitely John Stuart Milll his liberal progressive ideas are still relevant to move society forward. He mixes together a great mix of individual freedom with an individuals obligations to a community. On Liberty is my favorite work of his as he champions individual freedom with respects to self regarding acts. Self regarding acts are things individuals do that concern only themselves and not anyone else in negative way. He refuses to let society legislate against any form of self regarding act because no one knows the best way to live so all self regarding acts must be allowed. This will help progress humanity as individuals are allowed freedom over choices concerning themselves. The only force against self regarding acts is public opinion but Mill only allows this punishment because it is a natural reaction. So for example smoking weed, self regarding act because it only affects you so it should be permitted. People can have bad opinions of you for smoking but society should not legislate against it. Mill shows how individual independence is essential to human progress; because then people can live all types of lives. This good because it forces people to look critically at social norms as they are challenged by other ways of life. So when a publicly excepted way of life is challenged as by a free individual the argument is essential to Mill. This is because either the accepted idea is challenged and proofs to be better then the idea was strengthened as it is reevaluated and still found valid. So it is strengthened by virtue of being tested. Next, an alternate method of living could be found to better, again because humans aren't infallible then no one can restrict anyone on self regarding acts. Lastly, which Mill finds most of is that both ideas have some validity (most realistic out come) and a happy medium is found as people move towards the best way. As usual the best way lies between two extremes. For example, wearing clothing, which is a societal norm here. Mill would say nudists have a right to his self regarding act because no one knows the best way to live. And society must defend its idea which will strengthen it. Or we all become nudists lol but mist likely the right way lies in the middle and current cultures ideas about clothes are modified to be more free. Mills on liberty was brilliant. He also discusses the higher pleasures like reading, writing, philosophy ect as being vital to human development but also recognizes simpler bodily pleasure like sex. Mill believes when society can collectively focus on the higher pleasures we can advance. I agree with Mill's notion that humanity has been progressing but has also regressed at some points. Mill advocates promoting the common good in utilitarianism. His teaches have so much to offer modern questions like gay marriage ect. His ideas have stayed valid to humanity longer than Locke, Aristotle, and many more. Well thats my high lecture on my love for John Stuart Milll. Does anyone gave a favorite political theorist? Poli sci is my major but political theory definitely is the best branch of politics. It gets down to the core of people's beliefs and is very telling. I'd live to hear some input
Murray Rothbard would be my favorite: http://austrianeconomics.wikia.com/wiki/Murray_N._Rothbard \nMurray N. Rothbard, a scholar of extraordinary range, made major contributions to economics, history, political philosophy, and legal theory. He developed and extended the Austrian economics of Ludwig von Mises, in whose seminar he was a main participant for many years. He established himself as the principal Austrian theorist in the latter half of the twentieth century and applied Austrian analysis to historical topics such as the Great Depression of 1929 and the history of American banking. Rothbard was no ivory-tower scholar, interested only in academic controversies. Quite the contrary, he combined Austrian economics with a fervent commitment to individual liberty. He developed a unique synthesis that combined themes from nineteenth-century American individualists such as Lysander Spooner<sup>[1]</sup> and Benjamin Tucker with Austrian economics. A new political philosophy was the result, and Rothbard devoted his remarkable intellectual energy, over a period of some forty-five years, to developing and promoting his style of libertarianism. In doing so, he became a major American public intellectual. </blockquote>
While more philosopher, Ayn Rand is great. You can tell by the way she motivates people to either support her or oppose her. Those benefiting from capitalism should take an objective look at her work,
I love politics but can appreciate a good ohilaopher. Im my mind the question of Why? (Philosohpy) is more important than the question of how (science(. Would you agree or disagree? Either way
And one of the biggest hypocrites of the 20th century who couldn't even follow her own doctrines: Case in point: http://www.alternet.org/story/149721/ayn_rand_railed_against_government_benefits,_but_grabbed_social_security_and_medicare_when_she_needed_them
I dont understand why that is a criticism of Rand, it only comes from people who like to grab little blurbs or slogans and try to use them against her. If anyone actually read her works or listened to her speak, she advocated decades ago accepting anything back from a system that took from you by force, i.e, Social Security. It would be like if a thief stole money from your wallet, but used the money to pay for your electric bill, would you not accept the payment? Also, being a hypocrite doesnt discredit someones stance, i.e, a smoker telling another smoking how bad smoking is. Its just a tu quoque fallacy. And really, if that is the criticism of Rand, then it just shows people dont actually know anything about her, since she said some much more controversial things about Israel v. Palestine, the Native Americans, homosexuals, and her view of capitalism and the state in general. https://ari.aynrand.org/issues/government-and-business/individual-rights/The-Myth-about-Ayn-Rand-and-Social-Security
John Lock for domestic political theory and the late Kenneth Waltz for international relations theory, particularly for his work on nuclear weapons politics.
Her political stuff is interesting but her moral stuff is bullshit. Egoism is just a terrible moral theory.
Don't have a favorite "theorist" but I heard a reading of Kipling's "The God's of the Copybook Headings" earlier in week and I'd say he had enough experience in 1919 to paint a fairly accurate portrait of what happens and what would eventually happen when reality gets traded in for fantasy as foundational social-economic building blocks. [note: the copybook was used by English school children to practice their penmenship and memorization of basic truths that lie beyond debate - "as surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn"- by repeated writting the out. The self-evident truth was written at the top of the page - the heading. So, the God's of the Copybook Headings are simply the most essential things that are unconditionally true and not subject to our whimsical opinions] Here's the last couple of paragraphs of the poem which can be found at this website "... \nIn the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all, By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul; But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy, And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die." \nThen the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more. \nAs it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man There are only four things certain since Social Progress began. That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire, And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire; \nAnd that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins, As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn, The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!"\\ \nYou might call that last line "the inevitable correction", an allusion to the undeniable relentlessness with which Reality always eventually comes roaring back with a corrective vengeance, crumbling our our phony, vote-getting bullshit, and leaving us worse off for the delusion.
My favorite political theory is that Obama is a alien from outer space and is trying to lower the population of our world so his own kind can inhabit this world as their own I hope no one takes this 2 seriously lol