Critics of Modernity

Professor Siobhan Moroney
Lake Forest College
moroney@lfc.edu
Politics 354

What are the costs and disadvantages to modern democracy? Since the seventeenth century political theorists have questioned the basic principles of modern liberalism, principles we take for granted in twentieth century America. This course begins with a look at distinctive characteristics of modern political thought, and then critically examines the ideas of liberty, equality, individualism, capitalism, technology, etc. No political system is without a price; we'll join a three hundred year discussion of the costs of democratic liberalism. 

Course readings include:
Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 13 and 14
Locke, The Second Treatise of Government
Mill, On Liberty
Rousseau, Discourse on the Sciences and Arts and Discourse on the Origin of Inequality
Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France
Tocqueville, Democracy in America First session: Volume I, Chapter 1-4. Second session: Volume II, Chapter 6-7, 9
Marx, The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts  First session:  "Wages of Labor,"
     "Profit of Capital," and "Rent of Land." Second session:  "Estranged Labor."
Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
Freud, Civilization and its Discontents
Marcuse, One Dimensional Man
Arendt, The Human Condition