Power over People: Classical and Modern Political Theory

By: Dennis Dalton, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Dennis Dalton

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

What is the connection between individual freedom and social and political authority? Are human beings fundamentally equal or unequal? In 16 in-depth lectures, Professor Dalton puts the key theories of power formulated by several of history's greatest minds within your reach.

These lectures trace two distinct schools of political theory, idealism and realism, from their roots in ancient India and Greece through history and, ultimately, to their impact on the 20th century - via the lives and ideas of two charismatic, yet utterly disparate leaders: Adolph Hitler and Mahatma Gandhi. The issues Professor Dalton addresses in these lectures - and in Western political theory generally - fall into three sets of fundamental questions you'll get to unpack. The first set involves the essential characteristics of human nature and the good society. The second focuses on the intricate relationship between the individual and society. And the final set of questions involves theories about change.

Through these lectures and their historical case studies, you'll be able to identify the fundamental questions and concerns that shape classical and modern political theory:

• Describe the influence of one's understanding of human nature upon one's vision of the good society.
• Compare and contrast the views of theorists regarding the purpose of the state, the relationship between politics and ethics, and the qualifications for exercising political power.
• Discuss views of leading political theorists regarding the meaning of freedom, the sources of legitimate political authority, and the obligations of individuals to the state or society, and more.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©1991 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)1991 The Great Courses

A Wonderful Guide to Crucial Belief-Systems

I'm an avid listener to the Great Courses. In spite of overlapping topics, individuals, belief-systems and texts - these great, Great Courses - of which this is one - always succeed in delivering fresh insights and a smorgasbord of new food for reflection. I truly loved this one, and am going over it again. Political theory, the very belief-systems that allow for certain people to exert power over others, dictate our organization and essentially set the guard-rails for our very future: Is there anything more important? The most remarkable part was that on anarchism, I admit not knowing enough about its ideological roots and have been guilty of dismissing it due to ignorance. This Great Courses seems especially important in this day and age, where the very foundations of political theories are twisted with linguistic acrobatics, all to please the masses. The Age of Popularism where a viral-meme tweet, no matter how inaccurate or nonsensical is a more potent political weapon than any thoughtful consideration. (Both sides guilty.) The PDF contains some longer excerpts from texts too, such as Pericles' Funeral Oration. CONTENT The Hindu Vision of Life Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War Excerpts from Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War Fact Sheet on Plato’s Era (Fifth and Fourth Centuries B.C.) Law and Rule in Sophocles’ Antigone Socrates and the Socratic Quest Plato—Idealism and Power Philosophical Background to Plato’s Republic Plato’s Republic—Main Assumptions Plato’s Ideal of Non-Injury Plato’s Style in Republic Plato’s Three Cities Three Forms of Leadership and Types of Rule in Plato’s Republic Aristotle’s Critique of Plato’s Republic Aristotle (384–322 B.C.) Aristotle’s Critique of Plato: Argument for the “Mean” against Extremism Machiavelli’s Theory of Power PoliticsMachiavelli (1469–1527) Forces of Change in Early Modern Europe Italy, Florence, and Machiavelli Two General Comments on Italy of This Period Comparisons and Contrasts Between Machiavelli and Plato Rousseau’s Theory of Human Nature and Society Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) Rousseau’s Three Visions of the Individual in Society: Past, Present, and Future Summary: Three Perspectives on Political Theory Marx’s Critique of Capitalism and the Solution of Communism Marx’s Theory of Human Nature and Society (Self and System) Marx’s Economic Determinism Freud’s Theory of Human Nature and Civilization Freud’s Theory Comparisons and Contrasts Between Marx and Freud Thoreau’s Theory of Civil Disobedience Thoreau: Civil Disobedience Against the State Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821–1881) The Idea of Anarchism and the Example of Emma Goldman Five Principles of Anarchism Emma Goldman’s Theory Hitler’s Use of Power Analysis of Hitler’s Ideology Gandhi’s Use of Power Exclusiveness and Inclusiveness in the Ideas of Hitler and Gandhi Stages in the Development of M.K. (Mahatma) Gandhi as a Leader Gandhi’s Political Theory: Five Concepts

Incredibly enriching course!

This is an excellent book! Anyone interested in political theory should listen! My only complaints would be that the lecturer sometimes seems to ramble on, not finishing a sentence for thirty seconds to a minute, which can make it difficult to find a good stopping place. Professor Dalton is, nevertheless, an incredibly skilled teacher and will serve as an accessible guide to any listener through the history of political thought. It left me craving more.

Fantastic

An excellent listen. The professor wove the lectures together beautifully, almost poetically at times, with consistent themes and references from one lesson to the next.

Best book!!

That was one of the best books i've read in my life! A genius mix of philosophy, political science and history.

Interest View Point

This Great Course surprised me in the choice of topics and persons. He covers the classical or Western and Indian political thought. He also focuses on the power of the self which is evident in his coverage of Freud and Gandhi. However, the main focus is still how to rule over people whether that is the idealism of Rousseau or Plato or the gritty realism of Machiavelli.

Political theory only in a very narrow sense

Rather than being a history of the core ideas in the field, it’s mostly a history of the extremes and heavily weighted towards the despots amongst them. It also has an almost uncanny focus on their personal lives and deaths, containing lengthy descriptions on how find the graves of more than a few of the people mentioned.

Superb lecture series by an incredible lecturer

Dr. Dalton is one of my all time favorite lecturers and this series is another timeless classic. It’s a powerful reminder of the need to act personally and politically with insights about the greatest activists of all time.

Phenomenal

I loved it; I just LOVED it Incredibly informative, engaging and insightful all at once. I'm now inspired to take a class with this outstanding professor; his content is stellar and his narration- well, he's simply mesmerizing to listen to. I can't say enough about how incredible this series of lectures is, regardless of your field of study, you'll enjoy it.

Fantastic

Excellent series, great lecturer, highly recommended, should be required listening for all citizens. One of the very best Teaching Company courses.

A well written and fascinating course

This course of lectures covers political philosophy from the ancients right up to Ghandi. Starting with an overview of Ancient Indian political philosophy, before moving to Greece and the more traditional Western view of this history. The lecturer is a very good speaker, and his writing is simply fantastic. He covers Plato, Socrates, Hitler and many more in great detail. Included in the course is also discussions of art and literature relevant to the topics, which adds colour to what could otherwise be a dry series.

If I had to give it a negative, I would say that the course is too short, and the topics left out are a real shame. Hobbes is barely touched, along with Locke and Paine as well, all three only get a small mention in reference to Thoreau. However, the course is so overwhelmingly good that I cannot take points away for lack of these writers. The lecturer is an expert on Ghandi, and the episode on Ancient hindu philosophy is superfluous for people like me (really interested in the Western theory), but I'm sure very interesting for some.

Overall, I would say this is the best Great Courses series I've heard so far, and I'm just hoping he writes a new edition with a few more conservative philosophers! The course concentrates on more radical ideas and these does leave some of the debates behind.

Fantastic, cannot recommend enough.

Enjoyed it immensely

It is a detailed examination of political theory that was appropriately detailed. Would recommend it

Best Great Courses book so far

Professor Dalton is my favourite lecturer so far. He has helped me understand philosophy using a warm and friendly style. Now I understand!

Thoroughly enjoyable and an easy listen

This covers some essential characters and their political arguments stemming millenia. The lecturer is passionate, clear and engaging. There was nothing I found difficult or overly cerebral here, no philosophy of logic, no convoluted arguments. Mostly because this was a lesson in the historical development of major political movements rather than a debate about who was right, although I think the leanings of the lecturer do come across they are not overtly explicit. My conclusion is that applying rational argument always comes second to the feeling of what is right from all perspectives.

The fact that we don't know what the purpose of humanity actually is means people can invent one and use the propaganda of their times for good or evil to convince others that they are right. The less capable of independent thought and action a populace becomes the more prone that society is to becoming capable of committing atrocities.

It is a stark warning of the potency that an unchallenged right or left wing media could have in a world which is currently quite clearly dominated by one side.

Power to the Listener

This is 2st rate education from a Professor who is passionate and lives each class he teaches. I learned a lot and grew in my understanding through the deep review of Political Theory

fascinating and informative

absorbing and very good value. I love these courses which provide informatiion and entertainment of a very high quality.

Fascinating Journey

Excellent presentation of fundamental principles of human nature as it relates to power, explained in a coherent, concise and entertaining manner.

Brilliant

A fascinating sweep through political thought from Plato to machiavelli Marx to Hitler. Brilliantly done.

Fascinating stuff

Slow start but covers a lot of ground. could do with a part two for today's political environment

Great but misses most Eastern Philosophy

Starts and ends in India, but otherwise most concerned with Western philosophy and politics. A shame but excellent nonetheless