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 of ordinary people. While civil servants can quote classical texts, they may not act with the same benevolence, and if they act poorly they can't have the knowledge they purport to have. We therefore get a critique of civic education that comes from within Confucianism, without appeal to the legalist framework of someone like Lord Shang.

Political Theory 101

Wang Yangming

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.

Shang Yang

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.

Voter Ethics

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.

Manuel II Palaiologos and Late Byzantine Thought

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

Aeschines, Demosthenes, and Athenian Rhetoric

Benjamin and Alex discuss Gandhi, the relationship between satyagraha and swaraj, his conceptualization of truth, anarchism, and so much more.

Gandhi

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.'

John Duns Scotus

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.

Chrysippus and Early Stoicism

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.

Frynas, Petrol States, and Oil Companies

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."

Bartolus and Roman Law in the Middle Ages

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

The Arthashastra

Alex and Benjamin discuss John Maynard Keynes through a political theory lens. They hone in on Keynes' strategy for saving capitalism, his impact on interwar Marxism, his use of J.A. Hobson's theory of imperialism, and more.

John Maynard Keynes as a Political Theorist

Alex and Benjamin discuss Persian political theorist and Seljuk Vizier Nizam al-Mulk, a talented administrator who nonetheless left behind quite a mess. We compare him to Michael Psellos (his contemporary). We discuss the Sassanid origins of his political thought. We also go into the deep, intractable problems he had with both women and heretics, making it difficult for the Seljuk Empire to replicate the long-term success of the enormous ancient Persian states.

Nizam al-Mulk and Persian Political Thought

Alex and Benjamin discuss the political thought of Confucius, moving past stale stereotypes and into a deeper discussion of the role of the gentleman and the sage in creating and sustaining an ideal customary community.

Confucius and the Role of Ritual in Chinese Political Thought

Alex and Benjamin discuss Slavoj Žižek's concept of ideology, his version of materialism, and the role ritual plays in his thought.

Žižek and the Politics of Ideology

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Political Theory 101

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