A History of Political Thought From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance [Paperback]

This volume continues the story of European political theorising by focusing on medieval and Renaissance thinkers. It includes extensive discussion of the practices that underpinned medieval political theories and which continued to play crucial roles in the eventual development of early-modern political institutions and debates. The author strikes a balance between trying to understand the philosophical cogency of medieval and Renaissance arguments on the one hand, elucidating why historically-suited medieval and Renaissance thinkers thought the ways they did about politics; and why we often think otherwise.Preface.

Introduction.

1. Medieval Political Ideas and Medieval Society.

Medieval Sources.

The Historical Context of Early Medieval Political Thought.

Carolingian Christian Kingship and Feudal Society.

Translatio Imperii.

Theocratic Kingship.

The Origins of Papal Authority and the Gelasian Doctrine.

Two Swords Theory.

The Twelfth-century 'Renaissance': Canon Lawyers and their Heirs.

The Twelfth-century 'Renaissance' and Civil Lawyers.

Civilians and Canonists.

Individual and Collective Liberties.

Sovereignty and Corporations.

Natural Law, Rights and the Lawyers Concern for Individual Autonomy.

Origins of Property Rights.

Medieval Education: Practical Moral Philosophy of Ethics, Economics and Politics.

The Contribution of Arabic and Jewish Thinking to the Twelfth-century 'REnaissance'.

Aristotle in the Universities.

Ethics and Politics in the Liberal Arts Course.

The Purpose of Aristotelian Rhetorical Persuasion.

The Thirteenth 'Aristotelian' Century.

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