Political Science III (Political Thought)
University of Calcutta · LL.B. Semester 3
Unit 1 — Political Obligation
Meaning, Nature · Theories of the Grounds of Political Obligation · Political Obligation vs. Social Obligation · Limits to Political Obligation and Problem of Resistance · T.H. Green’s View on Political Obligation
Unit 2 — Power
Definition and Nature · Authority: Definition and Nature · Types of Authority · Legitimacy of Power
- Power as a concept in Political Science
- Meaning and definitions of Power
- Authority as a Concept in Political Science
- Meaning and Features of Authority — De jure and De facto Authority
- Max Webber's Classification of Authority
- Legitimacy — Concept and Relevance of Legitimacy in the Exercise of Political Power
Unit 3 — Utilitarianism
Meaning, Origin and Basic Tenets · Jeremy Bentham’s Contribution · J.S.Mill’s Contribution
Unit 4 — Natural Law and Natural Rights.
Natural Law and Natural Rights
Unit 5 — Liberalism
Core Values- Contents of liberalism (Classical Liberalism, Modern Liberalism, and Neoliberalism) · Liberal Democracy and Constitutionalism · End of History by Francis Fukuyama
Unit 6 — Socialism
Meaning and Definition · Core Values and its variants · Fabian · Syndicalism · Guild Socialism- Democratic Socialism
Unit 7 — Marxism
Meaning and Sources · Theories of · Historical Materialism, Class and Class Struggle, Exploitation, Alienation, Role of State · Contemporary relevance of Marxism
Unit 8 — Indian Political Thought
Gandhism- M. K. Gandhi’s Ideas of Truth, Non-Violence, Purity of Ends and Means, Religion & Politics, Satyagraha and Sarvodaya · Social Justice Theory of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar