Founding thinkers

Aristotle

Separated the study of policy’s from the study of philosophy

Nicole Machiavelli

-Emphasize the use of empirical knowledge to help develop state craft and help rulers stay in power

- right and wrong irrelevant

Thomas Hobbe

Social contract = people should completely surrender liberties to powerful states and exchange for law and order

John Locke

-Private property essential to individual freedom and prosperity

- favored a weak state

Baron de Montesquieu

Separation of powers

Jean Rousseau

People = noble savages corrupt by civilization

Communal rule / pure democracy

Karl Marx

Politics driven by economic forces

Capitalism / democracy will collapse and be replaced by communism

Government eventually unnecessary once quality is established

Max Weber

State = organization that maintains a monopoly on violence within a defined territory