Description
Book SynopsisThe period 1517-1625 was crucial for the development of political thought. During this time of expanding empires, religious upheaval, and social change, new ideas about the organisation and purpose of human communities began to be debated. In particular, there was a concern to understand the political or civil community as bounded, limited in geographical terms and with its own particular structures, characteristics and history. There was also a growing focus, in the wake of the Reformation, on civil or political authority as distinct from the church or religious authority. The concept of sovereignty began to be used, alongside a new language of reason of state--in response, political theories based upon religion gained traction, especially arguments for the divine right of kings. In this volume Sarah Mortimer highlights how, in the midst of these developments, the language of natural law became increasingly important as a means of legitimising political power, opening up scope for rel
Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Empires and Cities: Political Thought in an Age of Expansion 3: The Nature of the Commonwealth 4: The Word of God and the End of Politics 5: Church and Commonwealth in the Catholic World 6: The Empires of the East: Political Thought in Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal lands 7: Virtue, Ambition, and the Balanced Constitution 8: Laws, Liberties, and the Will of the People 9: Sovereignty and Reason of State 10: The Limits of Obedience: Kings, Priests, and the People 11: The Science of Politics 12: Beyond Sovereignty: War, the State, and the Laws of Nature 13: Epilogue and Conclusion: The Nature of Politics
