Political Philosophy

Pre-requisites: None

Course objectives: Introduction to basic concepts of political philosophy. During the course students will have the opportunity to learn about the basic meaning of terms such as state, sovereignty, conservatism, liberalism, democracy, and so on.

Course description: The subject of political philosophy has a lot in common with, and often overlaps with, the subjects of political theory, economic theory, history of political ideas, philosophy of law, moral philosophy and normative ethics. We'll examine the nature of the state and criteria for evaluating the state power. Therefore, we'll start from a value-neutral concept of the state (Max Weber), then we are going to make a distinction between the idea of legal order and the notion of legitimacy, and after that we shall deal with the evaluation criteria for the state such as the compliance with the divine order, compliance with the natural hierarchy of being, compliance with the idea of "absolute good", realization of "absolute idea", efficiency, utility, justice, proletarian revolution, etc. The problem of justification of poltical authority in modern social contract theory will be also discussed (Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Rousseau).

Learning Outcomes: Mastering the basic concepts of philosophy of politics.

Literature/Reading:

• Milorad Stupar: "Politički autoritet", "Zajednica", "Politička zajednica" odeljci iz knjige TEORIJE O POLITIČKIM DUŽNOSTIMA, Filozofsko društvo Srbije, 1996, str.31-51 i str.147-151.
• Kosta Čavoški: "Ustav kao jemstvo slobode", u USTAV KAO JEMSTVO SLOBODE, "Filip Višnjić", Beograd, 1995, str.11-33.
• Vojislav Stanovčić: "Legalitet", odeljak iz Enciklopedije politièke kulture, Savremena administracija, Beograd, 1993, str.579-593.
• Aristotel: USTAV ATINSKI
• Aristotel: POLITIKA Aristotel: NIKOMAHOVA ETIKA knj.1,5 i 6.
• Hobs: LEVIJATAN glava 13-21.
• Lok: DVE RASPRAVE O VLADI (knj. 2), PISMO O TOLERANCIJI Ruso: DRUŠTVENI UGOVOR
• Mil: RAZMATRANjA O PREDSTAVNIČKOJ VLADI, Informator, Zagreb, 1989, (glave 3,6 i 7). Makijaveli: VLADALAC
• Maks Veber, "Politik als Beruf", u PRIVREDA i DRUŠTVO. Prosveta, Beograd.
• Vojin Dimitrijević: "Šta su ljudska prava", u LjUDSKA PRAVA, Beograd, 1997, str.23-32
• Milan Podunavac: "Legitimitet", odeljak iz Enciklopedije političke kulture
• Platon: DRŽAVA knj.4 i 8 Platon: PISMA (7 pismo) Platon: ZAKONI