Chapter One
Introduction
Why A Discussion on Political Obligation?
Chapter Two
Democracy: Resistance and Liberty
Contextualizing Political Obligation
Resistance within Democracies: Protest in Common Parlance
Resistance in Different Parts of the Globe
Resistance in India: Its Global Ramifications
Crisis in World’s Democracies: What Precisely it Involves?
Role of Media: Especially Social Media
Globalization and Resistance
Free Speech: Myth and Reality
Historical Context
Freedom of Speech in United States
Freedom of Speech in India
Nationalism
Democratic Order and Resistance
Democracy and Resistance—Contextualising Political Obligation
Chapter Three
Political Obligation: Meaning and Scope
Political Obligation: Meaning
Meaning of the Term Obligation
Obligation and Ought
Obligation and Coercion
Obligation and Duty
Types of Obligations
Political Obligation
Principles of Political Obligation
The Scope of Political Obligation
Justification for Political Obligation
Political Obligation: A Moral Obligation or A Moral Duty
Political Obligation : Is it Legal Obligation
Kinds of Political Obligations
1. Unconditional Political Obligation
2. Conditional Political Obligation
Conclusion
Problems of Political Obligation
Political Obligation—Is it a Problem?
Political Obligation—A Concept or A Problem
Political Obligation—Is Generalization Possible
Political Obligations—How One Comes to Acquire It?
Political Obligations—How Significant It Is?
Political Obligation—The Particularity and Exclusivity Clause
Political Obligation: Why Philosophical Explanations Only?
Central Questions of Political Obligations
Political Obligations: Is it Political, Moral or of Legal Nature?
Conclusion
Chapter Five
Evolution of the Concept of
Political Obligation in Political Thought
Political Thought
Theories of Political Obligation
Liberal theory of Political Obligations
Force Theory of Political Obligation
Divine Right Theory of Political Obligation
Voluntarist Theories of Political Obligation
Consent Theory of Political Obligation
Teleological Theories of Political Obligation
Idealist Theory of Political Obligation
Utilitarian Theory of Political Obligation
Deontological Theories of Political Obligation
Fairness Theory of Political Obligation
Conservative Theory of Political Obligation
Marxist Theory of Political Obligation
Anarchist Theory of Political Obligation
Gandhian View of Political Obligation
Associative Theories of Political Obligations
Conclusion
Chapter Seven
Right to Resistance and Revolution:
A Philosophical Overview
Revolution: Meaning and Nature
Limits of Political Obligation—Problem of Right to Resistance
Conclusion
Chapter Eight
Civil Disobedience and Political Obligation
What is Civil Disobedience?
Henry David Thoreau—Civil Disobedience
Mahatma Gandhi—Civil Disobedience
Right and Duty of the Subjects to Rise against Unjust Government
Man’s Duty to Disobey Unjust Laws
Satyagraha—Theory of Passive Resistance
Martin Luther King, Jr
Harold J Laski and “Conscientious Objectors
Civil Disobedience and Its Impact
Civil Disobedience and Political Obligation
Civil Disobedience—It’s Legal Implications
Chapter Nine
Socrates to Plato: Minimum Rules of Obedience
Socrates: The indelible influence on Plato
Virtue is Knowledge
Doctrine of Reality
Theory of Knowledge
Republic: The Masterpiece
Plato’s Ideal State: Republic
1. Analogy between Individual and the State
Origin of State
Justice: Individual and Social Aspects
Plato’s Theory of Justice
2. Traditional Concept of Justice: The Theory of Cephalus
3. Radical Theory of Justice: The Theory of Thrasymachus
4. Pragmatic Concept of Justice: The Theory of Glaucon
Justice in the Individual
Features of Plato’s Ideal State
Education in the Ideal State
Education Method of Plato
Features of Platonic Education
Educational Curriculum
Higher Education
Criticism
Conclusion
Communism of Property
Practical of Social Aspect of Communism of Property
Plato’s Theory of Communism of Wives
Scheme of Communism of Wives
Purpose of Communism of Wives
Critical Analysis of Plato’s scheme of Communism of Wives
Plato’s Concept of Philosopher King
Features of the Rule of Philosopher-King
A Critique of Platonic Ideal State
Political Obligation: Minimum Rules of Obedience
Conclusion
Chapter Ten
Political Authority and Obligation in Aristotle
Rule of Multitude with Minimum Rules of Obedience
Subject Matter of Politics
Critique of Plato
Aristotle’s Concept of State
First Argument
Second Argument
Third Argument
Aristotle Gives Priority to State over Individual
Aristotle’s Views on Citizenship
Definition of Citizen
Who is a Citizen according to Aristotle?
What makes this capacity possible for the citizens?
Good Citizen and Good Men
Aristotle and Political Obligation
Minimum Rules of Obedience
Chapter Eleven
Transition from Greek to Roman Political Thought
Negation of Political Obligation
(i) From City-state to Individual
(ii) Good-life and Political-life are Different
(iii) From Polis to Cosmopolis
(1) Historical Development
(2) Loss of Political Freedom
(3) City-states ceased to be an agency of Moralizing Individuals
(4) Alexander established a political unit larger than City-state
(5) Loss of Individual’s Freedom
(6) City-states ceased to be Centre of Political Life
(7) Speculation Shifted to Religion and Ethics
(8) Individuals lost trust in City-States
(9) Barrier between Greeks and Barbarian was mitigated
(10) Advent of Open World State’
The General Nature of the New School of Thought
The Epicureanism
The Stoicism
Personal Independence
Slavery
Their Love for Nature
His Ideas about Death
Conclusion: No Institutions No Political Obligation
Chapter Twelve
Medieval Political Philosophy:
Fragmented View of Obligations
Implications
Rise of Papacy
Bearing
Fragmented View of Political Obligations
Chapter Thirteen
Church Fathers to Marsilio
Changing Locations of Political Obligation
St. Augustine (354—430)
Augustine as Christianised Plato
St. Thomas Aquinas: (1225—1274)
Aquinas as Christianised Aristotle
The Church and the State
Marsilio of Padua: (1275—1342)
Conclusion
Chapter Fourteen
Transition to Modern Political Thought
The Renaissance
Conclusion
Chapter Fifteen
The Absolute Political Obligation
N. Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Influence on Machiavelli
Machiavelli—First Modern Thinker
Machiavelli on Human Nature
Implications of his Theory of Human Nature
Machiavelli on State
Machiavelli’s Tips to the Successful Ruler
Conclusion
Chapter Sixteen
Principle of Consent: Limited to Unconditional Obedience
Consent Theory of Political Obligation
Thomas Hobbes—Social Contract Theory and Absolute Obligation
Hobbes on Human Nature
State of Nature
Law of Nature
The Social Contract of Hobbes
Foundation of the State and its Nature
1. State is a Means and not an end
2. Sovereignty of State and Utilitarian Basis
3. State is based on Reason
4. Coercive Authority of Man
5. Monarchical Government is more effective
6. Supremacy of the Authority
7. People have no right to resist
Exceptions: Subject’s Right to Resist
Conclusion
John Locke (1632-1704)
Human Nature
State of Nature
Laws of Nature
Reasons for the formation of Political Society
Locke’s Social Contract
Conclusion
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Human Nature
Two Instincts
Conflict between the Instincts
Conscience
Reason
Pride
Return to Nature
Right Reason v. Wrong Reason: Is Rousseau Anti-rationalist?
Rousseau’s State of Nature
Social Contract
Rousseau’s Theory of ‘General Will’
Conclusion
Comparing Social Contractualists
State and Government
Sovereignty
Liberty
Individual
Conclusion
Chapter Seventeen
Anarchist View of Political Obligation
Communism and Anarchism
Basic Principles of the Anarchist Philosophy
(i) Opposition to State
(ii) Classical Anarchism
William Godwin (1756-1836)
Fierre Joseph Proudhon (1809-1855)
Michael Bakunin (1814-1876)
Prince Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921)
Political Anarchism
Philosophical Anarchism
Count Leo Tolstoi (1828—1910)
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-—1948)
Bertrand Russell
Conclusion
Chapter Eighteen
Conclusion
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