Introduction to Political Science

Explore how aristocracy shapes government by nobility for the common good, tracing its hereditary roots, oligarchic and plutocratic dynamics, and the idea of philosopher kings and meritocracy.

Explore liberalism as a philosophy that champions liberty and equality, contrast classical and modern liberalism, and trace government roles from limited government to active social programs.

Explore egalitarianism as the belief in moral and political equality, focusing on equality of opportunity, its origins, real world applications, benefits, and critiques.

Explore majoritarianism, the idea that the majority decides bills in a form of direct democracy via representatives. Trace its origins to Athens and the Enlightenment, with safeguards for minority rights.

Explore federalism as a union of states with a strong central government. Compare federations and confederacies, review examples like the United States and European Union, and discuss benefits and risks.

Explore monarchy types—absolute, constitutional, and limited—as the lecture compares kingdoms such as Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and explains divine-right origins.

Republicanism is a representational system where elected leaders govern for a term to protect inalienable rights, grounded in popular sovereignty, self-determination, with representatives voting on laws rather than direct democracy.

Explore praetorianism, the rule or excessive military influence in a country, often via a junta, and its role in power struggles, assassinations, and governance.

Examine theocracy, where church and state intertwine and religious law shapes governance, with examples from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Vatican City, and discuss origins, benefits, and criticisms of Sharia law.

Capitalism is an economic philosophy of private ownership and profit, driven by supply and demand and wage-based labor, with debates over government role and social mobility.

Explore fascism, an aggressive nationalist ideology advocating dictatorship, regimentation, and national purification, with a powerful military and suppression of opposition among leaders like Mussolini, Franco, and Hitler.

Explore despotism, from hard and soft forms to absolute power and total control over public and private life, and examine historical and philosophical critiques.

Nazism, a fascist political philosophy led by Hitler, blends social darwinism and Aryan supremacy, seeks Lebensraum, and advocates anti-Semitism and extermination, while driving expansion and a war-ready economy.

Examine Machiavellianism as a political philosophy in which the ends justify the means; learn why rulers should be feared, how authority over others sustains power, and the role of morals.

Explore patrimonialism, an absolute rule where the ruler and dynasty govern as the state, with divine-right-backed authority, a noble bureaucracy, and fragile legal order.

Totalitarianism is the extreme form of authoritarian rule that concentrates power and controls private life, with leaders like Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and Kim Jong Il, causing human rights abuses.

Marxism explains history as class struggle between the proletariat and bourgeoisie, envisioning capitalism, socialism, and a future classless utopia with communal means of production.

Explore communism as a Marxist theory that abolishes private property to achieve economic equality and state ownership of the means of production. It has never been realized and remains debated.

Explore socialism as a transitional stage between capitalism and communism, highlighting state ownership, equality versus equity, and real‑world examples like the NHS and pensions, plus debates about its feasibility and outcomes.

Explore Leninism, Lenin's interpretation of Marxism, advocating the dictatorship of the proletariat led by a revolutionary vanguard to achieve a communist utopia and the Russian Revolution.

Explore Maoism, Mao Zedong's interpretation of Marxism that envisions socialism through a peasant-led vanguard as a prelude to communism, with iconoclastic, nationalistic, anti-imperialist aims.

Explore centrism as a pragmatic political outlook blending tradition with new ideas, balancing left and right while prioritizing fiscal responsibility and education and social reform.

Explore conservatism as a tradition-based political philosophy that preserves religion, family, and the nation; favors limited government, lower taxes, and individual freedom, while acknowledging inequality.

Explain democracy as the power of the people, tracing its origins to Athens and outlining direct and representative systems, with examples like the United States, Canada, and Denmark.

Libertarianism advocates maximizing freedom by minimizing the government. It is socially left-leaning and economically right-wing, favoring limited taxes and individual choice.

Discover neoconservatism as an extension of conservatism that promotes interventionism and spreading democracy through strength, with examples from Reagan and Bush and debates over foreign policy.

Explore neoliberalism, an economics oriented philosophy that champions the free market to shape government and social policies, illustrated by Milton Friedman and the idea of the invisible hand.

Explore realism in international relations, where nations pursue power for self-preservation, often using military strength, and navigate an anarchic world through realpolitik, containment, and nuclear policies.

Explore environmentalism as a political movement addressing climate change, promoting green government policies, and balancing preservation and conservation with sustainable use and jobs in green energy.

Explore feminism as a social and political philosophy advocating for women's rights and participation, tracing its waves from the 19th century to today and distinguishing private and public sphere goals.

Explore globalism as a theory of world political influence and globalization through networks that cross borders, from treaties and alliances to cultural exchange and information flows.

Localism advocates keeping political power and production local—from family and neighborhood to the community—retaining local autonomy, supporting local businesses, and enabling direct citizen participation.

Explores anarchism as a philosophy of anti coercion and anti state, arguing for no rulers and voluntary cooperation under social contracts, with historical examples and debates.

Explore ethnocracy, the rule of a specific ethnic group, and how in-group privilege and outgroup discrimination shape power, with examples from apartheid and Kurdish–Turkish conflicts.

Explore gradualism, the idea that small, long-term political and social changes build lasting reforms, with examples from civil rights and debates over slow versus rapid change.

Objectivism, founded by Ayn Rand, argues for reason over emotion, self-interested individuals pursuing happiness, privatization, and a government that protects free market capitalism and individual rights.

Explore social Darwinism, linking wealth and power to biological superiority and promoting laissez-faire capitalism and eugenics. Trace its origins to Darwin and Malthus, and note ethical critiques of equality.

Explore the evolution of political systems from ancient Rome to today, weighing their pros and cons, and connect them to basic economic theory, while encouraging ongoing learning beyond the course.