Political philosophy Assignment PDF

Running head: GOOD SOCIETY
Good Society
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GOOD SOCIETY 1
1. Political philosophy background
Political philosophy refers to the study of the key questions regarding the government,
state, liberty, enforcement, justice and politics of a legal code by authority (Miller and Rose).
It is also sometimes refers to the general view or the particular ethics or attitude regarding
political attitudes or beliefs and is synonyms to the term called “political ideology”. It is to
note that the meaning of the word “political” is in itself one of the significant issues of
political ideology or political philosophy. Any institutions or practices can be characterised as
“political” if it is concerned or connected with the government in any way. However, it is
also to state that the key problem of political philosophy is that of understanding how to limit
the power of common public for maintaining the survival or existence of the quality of the
life of the human beings (Wolin). Just like any other aspects of the human experience, the
political philosophy is fuelled by the environment as well as by the limitations and the scope
of the mind. Moreover, it is also to state that political philosophy is more theoretical in
nature, instead of normative. It is concerned with the general or common philosophy and is
also a subject of sociology and cultural anthropology.
2. Major philosophers and their ideas
In this world that is divided into different political ideologies, the path for the utopian
society has long been sought right after since the last century. Two of the great philosophers
till date is Locke and Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli has written 14th century political
guide named “The Prince” where he has expressed his ideas and views on how a ruler should
be ruling (Pocock). On the other hand, John Locke, one of the notable influence in the
conception of the American Constitution, has valued the attributes which are cherished in the
American Bill of Rights. Machiavelli, the Italian Renaissance historian, politician and
diplomat have contributed to a large number of important discourses in the Western thought