C. Fabre Political Philosophy Teaching Resources
This site contains topics and readings for the 2023 Advanced Class in Political Philosophy.
in Political Philosophy. For previous classes, see here.
Time and location: Fridays, weeks 1-8, 11am-1pm. Wharton Room, All Souls College.
Eligibility for the class: This class is restricted to 2nd year B.Phil students who intend to specialise in political philosophy – in the sense that they plan to write (a) two essays in political philosophy, or (b) one essay and their dissertation, or (c) two essays and their dissertation. There will be no exceptions.
Legitimate Authority, Democracy and Justice
Key questions:
(1) What does it mean to say that a regime/government/political decision is legitimate? Has authority? (2) What are the conditions for legitimacy? (3) Are we under an obligation to obey the law?
Week 1. The philosophical anarchist’s challenge
Key question Is political rule compatible with individual liberty?
R. P. Wolff, In Defence of Anarchism (Harper & Row, 1970/UC of California Press, 1998 (2nd edition), Part I.
A. J. Simmons, Justification and Legitimacy (CUP 2012), ch. 6.
A. Stilz, Liberal Loyalty (Princeton, 2009), ch. 2.
Week 2. The consent theory of political authority
Key question: is consent to a political decision/law a necessary condition for it to be legitimate? Is it sufficient?
J. Locke, Second Treatise of Government, in Two Treatises of Government (ed. P. Laslett, Cambridge University Press, 1988), ch. VIII.
J. A. Simmons, On the Edge of Anarchy (Princeton University Press, 1993), ch. 8.
Week 3. Instrumental authority
Key questions What is it for a state to have legitimate authority? How might it be established?
J. Raz, The Morality of Freedom (Oxford, 1986), ch. 4.
D. Copp, ‘The Idea of a Legitimate State’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 28 (1999): 3-45.
Week 4. Justice and political authority I – Foundational issues
Key questions: (1) Are we under a natural duty of justice to obey the state? (2) Is it a necessary condition for a state to be legitimate, or for a law to be legitimate, that it be substantively just?
J. Waldron, ‘J. Waldron, ‘Special Ties and Natural Duties’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 22 (1993): 3–30.’
A. Buchanan, Justice, Legitimacy, and Self-Determination (OUP 2003), ch. 5.
Week 5 Justice and political authority II - The demands of justice
Key questions: (1) Does social justice require equality? In what sense, and why?
(2) Is the state fundamentally unjust for being oppressive, in the world as we know it?
J. Rawls, A Theory of Justice, revised edition (Harvard, 1999), sections 10–17
C. Mills, The Racial Contract (Cornell, 1997), pp. 19–40, 81–89.
I. M. Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference (PUP 2011), ch. 2.
Week 6. Democracy I – Foundational issues
Key questions: Is democracy the only legitimate constitutional form? In what does it essentially consist of? What is its value? What does it require?
Core readings
N. Kolodny, ‘Rule over No None II: Social Equality and the Justification of Democracy’, Philosophy & Public Affairs42 (2015): 287-336.
D. Viehoff, ‘Democratic Equality and Political Authority’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 42 (2014): 337–375.
Week 7 – Democracy II - Voting
Key questions: (1) Is there a right to vote? (2) If consent theories of political authority are to be rejected, why vote? (3) Is there a duty to vote and, if so, should the duty to enforced?
A. Guerrero, ‘Against Elections: The Lottocratic Alternative’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 42 (2014): 135–178.
J. Maskivker, ‘Being a Good Samaritan Requires You to Vote, ‘, Political Studies 66 (2018): 409-424.
J. Brennan, ‘Do Your Share or Else?’ in J. Brennan and L. Hill Compulsory Voting – For and Against (CUP, 2014).
Week 8 Civil Disobedience
Key questions: When may we disobey unjust laws? When may we revolt? Must we disobey?
K. Brownlee, Conscience and Conviction: The Case for Civil Disobedience (Oxford, 2012), chapters 1–2
J. Raz, The Authority of Law (Oxford, 1979), chapters 14–15.
J. Rawls, A Theory of Justice, revised edition (Harvard, 1999) sections 55–59.
in Political Philosophy. For previous classes, see here.
Time and location: Fridays, weeks 1-8, 11am-1pm. Wharton Room, All Souls College.
Eligibility for the class: This class is restricted to 2nd year B.Phil students who intend to specialise in political philosophy – in the sense that they plan to write (a) two essays in political philosophy, or (b) one essay and their dissertation, or (c) two essays and their dissertation. There will be no exceptions.
Legitimate Authority, Democracy and Justice
Key questions:
(1) What does it mean to say that a regime/government/political decision is legitimate? Has authority? (2) What are the conditions for legitimacy? (3) Are we under an obligation to obey the law?
Week 1. The philosophical anarchist’s challenge
Key question Is political rule compatible with individual liberty?
R. P. Wolff, In Defence of Anarchism (Harper & Row, 1970/UC of California Press, 1998 (2nd edition), Part I.
A. J. Simmons, Justification and Legitimacy (CUP 2012), ch. 6.
A. Stilz, Liberal Loyalty (Princeton, 2009), ch. 2.
Week 2. The consent theory of political authority
Key question: is consent to a political decision/law a necessary condition for it to be legitimate? Is it sufficient?
J. Locke, Second Treatise of Government, in Two Treatises of Government (ed. P. Laslett, Cambridge University Press, 1988), ch. VIII.
J. A. Simmons, On the Edge of Anarchy (Princeton University Press, 1993), ch. 8.
Week 3. Instrumental authority
Key questions What is it for a state to have legitimate authority? How might it be established?
J. Raz, The Morality of Freedom (Oxford, 1986), ch. 4.
D. Copp, ‘The Idea of a Legitimate State’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 28 (1999): 3-45.
Week 4. Justice and political authority I – Foundational issues
Key questions: (1) Are we under a natural duty of justice to obey the state? (2) Is it a necessary condition for a state to be legitimate, or for a law to be legitimate, that it be substantively just?
J. Waldron, ‘J. Waldron, ‘Special Ties and Natural Duties’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 22 (1993): 3–30.’
A. Buchanan, Justice, Legitimacy, and Self-Determination (OUP 2003), ch. 5.
Week 5 Justice and political authority II - The demands of justice
Key questions: (1) Does social justice require equality? In what sense, and why?
(2) Is the state fundamentally unjust for being oppressive, in the world as we know it?
J. Rawls, A Theory of Justice, revised edition (Harvard, 1999), sections 10–17
C. Mills, The Racial Contract (Cornell, 1997), pp. 19–40, 81–89.
I. M. Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference (PUP 2011), ch. 2.
Week 6. Democracy I – Foundational issues
Key questions: Is democracy the only legitimate constitutional form? In what does it essentially consist of? What is its value? What does it require?
Core readings
N. Kolodny, ‘Rule over No None II: Social Equality and the Justification of Democracy’, Philosophy & Public Affairs42 (2015): 287-336.
D. Viehoff, ‘Democratic Equality and Political Authority’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 42 (2014): 337–375.
Week 7 – Democracy II - Voting
Key questions: (1) Is there a right to vote? (2) If consent theories of political authority are to be rejected, why vote? (3) Is there a duty to vote and, if so, should the duty to enforced?
A. Guerrero, ‘Against Elections: The Lottocratic Alternative’, Philosophy & Public Affairs 42 (2014): 135–178.
J. Maskivker, ‘Being a Good Samaritan Requires You to Vote, ‘, Political Studies 66 (2018): 409-424.
J. Brennan, ‘Do Your Share or Else?’ in J. Brennan and L. Hill Compulsory Voting – For and Against (CUP, 2014).
Week 8 Civil Disobedience
Key questions: When may we disobey unjust laws? When may we revolt? Must we disobey?
K. Brownlee, Conscience and Conviction: The Case for Civil Disobedience (Oxford, 2012), chapters 1–2
J. Raz, The Authority of Law (Oxford, 1979), chapters 14–15.
J. Rawls, A Theory of Justice, revised edition (Harvard, 1999) sections 55–59.
