Political Theory 101

The podcast discusses the transition from the Roman republic to empire, exploring shifts in legitimation stories. Topics include the concentration of land ownership, the role of the emperor, and the downfall of Seneca and Cicero. It also examines the dominance of naturalism in moral theory, the flexibility of the Roman state, and the challenges of finding a balance in legitimation stories.

Explore the relationship between rhetoric and knowledge in Greek political thought, particularly the perspectives of Isocrates and Thucydides. Delve into the different philosophical approaches to politics and knowledge between Plato and Aristotle. Discuss the challenges faced by naturalists and empiricists in supporting morality. Examine the role of rhetoric in conveying values and morality. Explore the contrasting views of Thucydides and Plato on the influence of charismatic individuals in society. Plus, learn about the introduction of a Patreon to sustain the podcast.

The podcast compares and contrasts the approaches of Fanon and Burke in transforming society, emphasizing their shared goal of safeguarding values beyond capitalism and liberalism. It explores their differing perspectives on social change, Fanon's proposals for societal change in Africa, and the distinctions between their views on society and the nation state. Additionally, it discusses the concepts of conservativism versus reactionism, the similarities and differences between Fanon and Rousseau, and the perspectives of Burke and Fanon on institutional change.

Edmund and Benjamin return from the winter vac to talk about what happens when markets are depoliticised.

Edmund and Benjamin discuss the many different origin stories of inequality, drawing on Catharine MacKinnon and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Edmund on power: https://edmundjwilson.com/2019/11/01/on-power-tech-the-state-and-class/ Benjamin on Yang: https://benjaminstudebaker.com/2019/08/14/andrew-yang-is-playing-hide-and-seek-with-the-left-press/

Political science expert Raeffe Gibson joins Benjamin and Edmund to discuss the concept of unity in political thought, exploring the connection between Augustine and Schmitt in political theology. They explore Schmitt's view on state action and ethics in politics, the significance of divine kingship in achieving legitimacy, and the debate between Cicero and Augustine on justice and the pursuit of the good.

Edmund and Benjamin discuss the role of charismatic leaders in politics in the Roman Empire, interwar Germany, and more recently.

Benjamin and Edmund discuss the ancient zero-sum conception of liberty, attempts by later political theorists to universalise it, and some of the ways understandings of liberty have changed to accommodate that. Draws most heavily on Aristotle's "Politics" and Constant's "The Liberty of the Ancients Compared With That of the Moderns" and "Adolphe".

Benjamin and Edmund discuss why both Hobbes and Plato think the state is necessary, comparing and contrasting the two along the way.

Benjamin Studebaker and Edmund Wilson welcome you to a new series about the history of political thought and some of the people who have contributed to it.