Gandhi

More from Political Theory 101 All episodes →

1. 

   13 May 2023 · 1 hr 4 min

   Wang Yangming

   Alex and Benjamin discuss the state of Confucianism during the Ming Dynasty. Should "li" be understood as "principle" or "pattern"? What is the relationship between li and chi? While some theorists, like Zhu Xi, hold that studying the classics can help clear up your chi, Wang Yangming argues that the virtues are much easier to acquire, because for him li always already exists in the mind. He suggests there is a "unity of acting and knowing," so if a person acts in a virtuous way, that implies they have knowledge. This means that knowledge of the li can be found in the simple benevolent acts…

2. 

   2 May 2023 · 1 hr 18 min

   Shang Yang

   Alex and Benjamin discuss one is on Lord Shang, a Chinese political theorist and minister associated with the development of legalism. Unlike most ancient political theorists, Shang Yang denies the possibility of a politics based on virtue. He therefore denies the possibility that the state can be ruled by a virtuous elite. But this does not lead him to argue for democracy. On the contrary, he argues that sages, intellectuals, and other talkers encourage lawbreaking and spread disorder. He therefore recommends the state heavily disincentivize these activities.

3. 

   3 Apr 2023 · 1 hr 24 min

   Voter Ethics

   Alex and Benjamin discuss The Ethics of Voting (Princeton UP, 2011) by Jason Brennan, a contemporary political philosopher with a right-libertarian bent. They explore the consequences of thinking about voting from the standpoint of the individual. They talk about "harm reduction," and explore the many reasons it is hard to predict the consequences of elections in a straightforward way.

4. 

   13 Mar 2023 · 1 hr 10 min

   Manuel II Palaiologos and Late Byzantine Thought

   Alex and Benjamin dive into the thought of Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos. Ruler of a rump state that increasingly lacked the capacity to defend its territory, Manuel focused on trying to discern the things emperors could control from the things they couldn't. He tarries with some of the most frustrating issues in Christian ethics, all in the service of preparing his heir.

5. 

   9 Feb 2023 · 1 hr 34 min

   Aeschines, Demosthenes, and Athenian Rhetoric

   Alex and Benjamin explore the twilight of Athenian democracy, in which Aeschines and Demosthenes struggle viciously against one another as the Macedonian shadow looms.

6. 

   9 Jan 2023 · 1 hr 12 min

   John Duns Scotus

   Expelled from France in 1303 after he sided with Pope Boniface VIII in a dispute with King Philip IV, John Duns Scotus advanced a theory of natural law that was much more limited in scope than that of the more famous Thomas Aquinas. Among other things, we explore his contention that property rights are based on positive law rather than natural law. Though he was extremely influential in the high middle ages, Scotus fell from favor in the early modern period as both the Protestants and the humanists rejected his position. They hated him so much, they even gave his name to the 'Dunce Cap.'

7. 

   19 Dec 2022 · 1 hr 31 min

   Chrysippus and Early Stoicism

   Alex and Benjamin discuss the ideas of Chrysippus, a Stoic philosopher from the 3rd century BC. They explore Chrysippus' account of free will, his distinction between things that are good and "preferred indifferents," and the influence of his thought on theorists like Rousseau and Kant.

8. 

   25 Nov 2022 · 1 hr 25 min

   Frynas, Petrol States, and Oil Companies

   Alex and Benjamin delve into the work of Jedrzej George Frynas, discussing interactions between states and corporations, especially in countries like Nigeria, where the state is in a frustratingly weak position.

9. 

   17 Oct 2022 · 1 hr 3 min

   Bartolus and Roman Law in the Middle Ages

   Alex and Benjamin discuss Bartolus, a 14th century Italian jurist who used 6th century Roman law to legitimate the Italian city-states. Along the way, he develops the concept of "the city" as an abstraction, arguing that "the city is its own prince." This had substantial influence on later understandings of "the state."

10. 

    2 Oct 2022 · 1 hr 20 min

    The Arthashastra

    Alex and Benjamin look at an ancient Indian political treatise, focusing especially on the interdependent relationship between householders and ascetics.