Module:                                 PTH101 Classical Political Thought

Programme:                         B. A. Political Science and Sociology

Credit Value:                        12

Module Tutor:                       

1. General Objective

This module will explore the philosophical foundations of political science encompassing  both the nature and the scope of  political  philosophers  from  the western  civilization  and  their  eastern contemporaries. It  will  provide  an  in-depth understanding of the history of political thought from the ancient to the medieval, and to the modern and contemporary times.

2. Learning outcomes

On completion of the module, learners will be able to:

• Critically link the ideas and concepts developed by major thinkers.

• Describe the development of political thought since 3rd century BC.

• Relate the thoughts of major thinkers to the context in which they lived.

• Trace the origin and evolution of state as propounded by major thinkers.

• Identify the conceptual basis of political regimes found in Ancient Greece and Europe

• Relate thoughts of philosophers from west and east

• Describe various facets of human nature and its role in political discourse.

3. Learning and teaching approach

4. Assessment Approach

Assessments will be carried out on a continuous basis through the following assignments:

A.Written Assignment: Portion of the final mark: 20%

The written assignment will be worth 20%, one assignment will be given for the module. The assignment will be of 1000-1500word limit.

5% - Organization

10% - Content and arguments formed

5% - language and referencing

B. Presentation: Portion of the final mark: 10%

Each student will be asked to do one presentation for the module. The presentation will be for 10 minutes.

2.5% - Organization

5% - Content

2.5% - presentation

C. Group discussion: Portion of the final mark: 5%

Student will be divided into group for discussion once a week; each group member will have to lead at least one group discussion and present it to the class.

D. Mid-term Examination: Portion of the final marks: 20%

The exam will be conducted during Week 8 of the semester. Students will attempt objective and long answer questions with total marks of 50. Duration of the examination will be 1.5 hour and will include contents covered till Week 7.

10% - Objective/short answer questions

10% - Long answer questions

E. End Semester Exam: Portion of the final mark: 45%

End semester will be conducted after the completion of Week 15. Questions will cover all the subject matter of the modules. Questions will be divided into three sections - A, B and C separating objective-short answer question and long answer questions. The examination will be for three hours for a total of 100 marks.

20% - Objective/short answer questions

25% - Long answer questions

Overview of the assessment approaches and weighting

5. Subject matter

5.1.           Unit I:

5.1.1.       Ancient  Political  Philosophy:  Nature  and  scope  of  political thought; and the problem related to fact and value.

5.1.2.       Indian Political Thought: Upanishads, Kautilya's Arthashastra, Kingship, and Saptanga Theory.

5.1.3.       Plato: Influence of  Socrates, Plato's Utopia, The Theory of Ideas, Communism, Philosopher King;

5.1.4.       Aristotle: Criticism of Plato, Metaphysics, Ethics, Justice, and Politics.

5.1.5.       Confucian Ethics and Politics.

5.2.           Unit II: Medieval Political Thought:

5.2.1.       Saint Augustine: Philosophy, Theology: pure philosophy, the city of God, and the Pelagian Controversy.

5.2.2.       Zhabdrung's  political  thought;  Islamic  Political  Thought:  the religion of the Prophet, Arab conquests, the caliphate, the rise of Persia in terms of Islamic school of thought (Shia school of Islam), other schools of thought.

5.2.3.       Buddhist  Political Thought:As a critique of  the  Hindu  caste system,  Human  origin  of  Kingship,  Contract  as  the  basis  of obligation, Social evolution, an idyllic state of nature, conception of Dhamma  and  its  comparison  with  the  western  concept  of  virtue, study of Zhabdrung as Dharma King in comparison with Ashoka, from Chandasoka to Dharmasoka, the Sangha, Justice, and an introduction to Dharma King Trisong Deutsen of Tibet.

5.3.           Unit III: Modern Political Philosophy

5.3.1.       Renaissance and the Reformation: the idea of Modern: the diminishing authority of the church and the increasing authority of science, Protestantism, Martin Luther.

5.3.2.       The Italian Renaissance and Niccolo Machiavelli: the modern as opposed to the medieval, political condition of Italy, Machiavelli and Human Nature, Machiavelli and The Prince, and the Discourses.

5.3.3.       Hobbes: Human Nature, State of nature, laws of nature, social contract and sovereignty.

5.3.4.       Locke: Human nature, state of nature, laws of nature, social contract, and political philosophy.

5.3.5.       The Romantic Movement, Rousseau: Social Contract, General Will, and Freedom. Ram Mohan Roy: Socio-Political Thought.

6. Reading list

6.1.           Essential reading

Chakrabarty, B. & Pandey, R. K. (2009), Modern Indian Political Thought: Text and context. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd.

Coleman, J., (2000), A History of Political Thought: From Ancient Greece to Early Christianity. Delhi: Blackwell Publishing.

Dubgyur, L. (2005). The Parasol of Silken Knot.Thimphu: Royal Court of Justice

Hampsher-Monk, I., (2015), A History of Political Thought: Major Political Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd.

Hsu, L. S. (2013).The Political Philosophy of Confucianism. London: Routledge.

6.2.           Additional Reading

Mathou, T. (2010). The Politics of Bhutan: change in continuity. Journal of Bhutan Studies, 2(2), 228-262

Mukherjee,  S.,  Ramaswamy,  S.,  (2005),  A  History  of  Thought:  Plato  to  Marx, Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi.

Sabine, G. H., (1973), A History of Political Thought. Delhi: OUP.

Russell, B. (2004), The History of Western Philosophy. London: Routledge

Varma, V. P., (2009), Ancient and Medieval Indian Political Thought. Agra: Lakshmi Narain Agarwal.

Date: August 2015