This book examines the political thought of China, Greece, Israel, Rome, India, Iran, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and also early Christianity, from prehistory to c. 200 CE. Each of these had its own priorities, based on a religious and philosophical perspective. This led to different ideas about who should govern, how to govern, and what government was for. In most cultures, sacred monarchy was the norm, but this ranged from absolute to conditional authority. 'The people' were recipients of royal (and divine) beneficence. Justice, the rule of law and meritocracy were generally regarded as fundamental. In Greece and Rome, democracy and liberty were born, while in Israel the polity was based on covenant and the law. Confucius taught humaneness, Mozi and Christianity taught universal love; Kautilya and the Chinese 'Legalists' believed in realpolitik and an authoritarian state. The conflict between might and right was resolved in many different ways. Chinese, Greek and Indian thinkers reflected on the origin and purposes of the state. Status and class were embedded in Indian and Chinese thought, the nation in Israelite thought. The Stoics and Cicero, on the other hand, saw humanity as a single unit. Political philosophy, using logic, evidence and dialectic, was invented in China and Greece, statecraft in China and India, political science in Greece. Plato and Aristotle, followed by Polybius and Cicero, started 'western' political philosophy. This book covers political philosophy, religious ideology, constitutional theory, social ethics, official and popular political culture.

A World History of Ancient Political Thought: A World History of Ancient Political Thought: Its Significance and Consequences

Black, Antony

Religion & Spirituality

Oxford University Press

This comparative history of political thought examines what the Western and Islamic approaches to politics had in common and where they diverged. The book considers how various ancient and medieval thought-patterns did or did not lead to modern developments; and how sacred monarchy, the legitimacy of the state, and the role of the people were looked upon in each culture. The author focuses on the period from the rise of Islam to the European Reformation, but his analysis extends to the main genres of political thought up to the present. He argues that until the mid-eleventh century, Europe, Islam, and the Byzantine world had more in common than is commonly thought. What made the West different was the papal revolution of the late eleventh century, Europe's twelfth-century 'renaissance', and the gradual secularization of political thought which followed. At the same time, Islam, after an early blossoming, interpreted its own revelation more and more narrowly. This volume throws light on why the West and Islam each developed their own particular kind of approach to government, politics and the state, and on why these are so different.

The West and Islam Religion and Political Thought in World History

History

World

The History of Islamic Political Thought: From the Prophet to the Present

The History of Islamic Political Thought offers a full description and an interpretation of political philosophy from early Islam to the current age of Fundamentalism (622 AD to 2000 AD). Antony Black takes the same approach as scholars usually do for the history of Western political thought, examining the mentality, cultural milieu, and political background of thinkers and statesmen. He covers the relationship of politics to religion, law, ethics, philosophy, and statecraft, as expressed through treatises, occasional writings, official rhetoric, popular slogans, and other evidence of how people thought about authority and order.

Islam

Routledge

The History of Islamic Political Thought offers a full description and an interpretation of political philosophy from early Islam to the current age of Fundamentalism (622 AD to 2000 AD). Antony Black takes the same approach as scholars usually do for the history of Western political thought, examining the mentality, cultural milieu, and political background of thinkers and statesmen. He covers the relationship of politics to religion, law, ethics, philosophy, and statecraft, as expressed through treatises, occasional writings, official rhetoric, popular slogans, and other evidence of how people thought about authority and order.

Guilds and Civil Society in European Political Thought from the Twelfth Century to the Present

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

Routledge& Kegan Paul

The period c.1250-1450 ("the later Middle Ages") was seminal for the values of the modern world. State sovereignty, the separation of church and state, representation, the popular origin of government, and property rights are just a few of the ideas formulated during this time. Political Thought in Europe provides a lucid and accessible introduction to the period in the round, covering both major thinkers such as Aquinas, Marsiglio, Ockham, Wyclif and Cusa, and prevalent notions of church and state, empire and local sovereignty, civic and communal self-government, kingship, "the people", parliament, the law and experts ("the wise"). This is the first overall account to use recent advances in the methodology of the history of ideas.

Political Thought in Europe, 1250–1450 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)

Cambridge University Press

¿Por qué la civilización europea evolucionó como lo hizo? ¿Por qué fue tan diferente de la de Rusia, el mundo islámico y otras regiones del orbe? En este volumen Antony Black analiza algunas de las razones, estudiando las ideas acerca del Estado, la ley, el ejercicio del poder, la representación de la comunidad y el derecho a la autoadministración, y estudia cómo, durante un período decisivo, estas ideas arraigaron en la conciencia de la gente y fueron articuladas y justificadas por los teóricos. Antony Black subraya la importancia de la distinción entre Iglesia y Estado, así como del mantenimiento de una sociedad internacional frente a la soberanía del Estado independiente. Este libro es la primera exposición global que utiliza los recientes avances de la metodología de la historia de las ideas, y está concebido para su utilización en cursos de historia medieval y de historia del pensamiento político.

El pensamiento político en Europa, 1250–1450 (Spanish Language Publishing Programme S) (Spanish Edition)

Europe

A complete history of Islamic political thought from early Islam (c.622-661) to the present Now in its 2nd edition, this textbook describes and interprets all schools of Islamic political thought, their origins, inter-connections and meaning. It examines the Qur'an, the early Caliphate, classical Islamic philosophy and the political culture of the Ottoman and other empires. It covers major thinkers such as Averroes (Ibn Rushd) and Ibn Taymiyya as well as a number of lesser authors, and Ibn Khaldun is presented as one of the most original political theorists ever. It draws on a wide range of sources including writings on religion, law, philosophy and statecraft expressed in treatises, handbooks and political rhetoric. The new edition analyses the connections between religion and politics, covering the most recent developments in Islamic political thought and the most recent historical scholarship. It ends with a critical survey of reformism (or modernism) and Islamism (or fundamentalism) from the late-19th century up to the present day.

The History of Islamic Political Thought, Second Edition: The History of Islamic Political Thought: From the Prophet to the Present

Middle East

Edinburgh University Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Black, Antony. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Black, Antony

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Black, Antony. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A World History of Ancient Political Thought: A World History of Ancient Political Thought: Its Significance and Consequences

A World History of Ancient Political Thought: A World History of Ancient Political Thought: Its Significance and Consequences

The West and Islam Religion and Political Thought in World History

The History of Islamic Political Thought: From the Prophet to the Present

The History of Islamic Political Thought: From the Prophet to the Present

Guilds and Civil Society in European Political Thought from the Twelfth Century to the Present

Political Thought in Europe, 1250–1450 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)

Political Thought in Europe, 1250–1450 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)

El pensamiento político en Europa, 1250–1450 (Spanish Language Publishing Programme S) (Spanish Edition)

The History of Islamic Political Thought, Second Edition: The History of Islamic Political Thought: From the Prophet to the Present