Political Theory
About this Collection
Political theory encompasses debates over such issues as self-government, the rule of law, and constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and of the press. From foundational writings to twentieth century perspectives, OLL’s collection represents thinkers and texts that have helped shape the ideas of liberty.
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John Locke (1632-1704) | Edmund Burke (1729-1797) | John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) |
The OLL has the complete works of many major political theorists (many of which are older editions and thus are not as “complete” as some modern editions), such as Plato, Tacitus, James Harrington, John Locke, Machiavelli, Montesquieu, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Alexander Hamilton. It has the selected works of many others, such as Aristotle, Cicero, Thomas Hobbes, John Milton, Immanuel Kant, Edmund Burke, Richard Cobden, John Stuart Mill, and Herbert Spencer.
See also the extracts, chapters, and introductions in the Political Thought section of the Ideas page.
Members:
- An Account of Denmark, With Francogallia and Some Considerations for the Promoting of Agriculture and Employing the Poor (Robert Molesworth)
- Acton-Creighton Correspondence (John Emerich Edward Dalberg, Lord Acton)
- Address of the Free Constitutionalists to the People of the United States (1860) (Lysander Spooner)
- On the Admission of Women to the Rights of Citizenship (Marie-Jean-Antoine-Nicolas Caritat, Marquis de Condorcet)
- The American Commonwealth, 2 vols. (Viscount James Bryce)
- The American Commonwealth, vol. 1 (Viscount James Bryce)
- The American Commonwealth, vol. 2 (Viscount James Bryce)
- American Political Writing During the Founding Era: 1760-1805, 2 vols. (Charles S. Hyneman)
- American Political Writing During the Founding Era: 1760-1805, vol. 1 (Charles S. Hyneman)
- American Political Writing During the Founding Era: 1760-1805, vol. 2 (Charles S. Hyneman)
- The American Republic: Primary Sources (Bruce Frohnen)
- An Autobiography, 2 vols. (1904) (Herbert Spencer)
- An Autobiography, vol. 1 (Herbert Spencer)
- An Autobiography, vol. 2 (Herbert Spencer)
- The Anti-capitalistic Mentality (Ludwig von Mises)
- Anti-Slavery Tracts. First Series, Nos. 1-20 (1855-56) (David M. Hart)
- Anti-Slavery Tracts. Second Series, nos. 1-25 (1860-62) (David M. Hart)
- An Appeal to Impartial Posterity, by Citizenness Roland (Jeanne Marie Roland de la Platière)
- An Appeal to Impartial Posterity, Volume 1 (Jeanne Marie Roland de la Platière)
- An Appeal to Impartial Posterity, Volume 2 (Jeanne Marie Roland de la Platière)
- Appendix to the Black Book (1834) (John Wade)
- Areopagitica (1644) (Jebb ed.) (John Milton)
- An Arrow against all Tyrants (Richard Overton)
- The Art of War (Neville trans.) (Niccolo Machiavelli)
- Articles in the Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica (1825) (James Mill)