New Books Network Philip Pettit, "The State" (Princeton UP, 2023)
Dec 1, 2025
Philip Pettit, a distinguished political philosopher and author of The State, explores the fundamental nature of the state and its relationship to justice. He discusses his theory of neo-republicanism, emphasizing freedom as non-domination. Pettit examines the legitimacy of states, contrasting U.S. presidential systems with parliamentary models. He argues for group agency in states and the importance of checks against power. The conversation dives into citizens' assemblies as tools for democratic innovation and the need for functional constraints to achieve justice.
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Freedom As Non-Domination
- Republican freedom is freedom as non-domination rather than mere non-interference.
- You are free only if no one has the arbitrary power to interfere in your choices.
Assess The State As The Means
- If the state is the primary means to achieve social justice, we must assess its capacities and limits.
- Pettit argues we are 'stuck with' the state as the instrument for justice and must understand it functionally.
Function First, Then Legitimacy
- Pettit separates describing the state from judging its legitimacy and focuses first on function.
- He links legitimacy to democratic control accessible equally to citizens and residents.
