Essays and Research Papers on Political Theory

A 5 page overview of the Reagan administrations partial responsibility for the 1986 space shuttle explosion and the loss of the lives of its seven crew members. This paper elucidates on then-President Ronald Reagan’s use of rhetoric to console the American public while at the same time avoiding direct responsibility for the disaster. ...

A 5 page research paper that critically analyzes an article by Graham E. Fuller regarding the weakness and future of the nation-state. The writer summarizes the article, which predicts the downfall of the current nation-state and that borders will be redrawn along ethnic lines, and then argues that Fuller's vision is far from conclusive, citing ...

An 8 page paper which examines the justification of the use of “evil” in Machiavelli’s “The Prince.” Bibliography lists 3 additional sources.

A 5 page essay that summarizes the principal argument and critically analyzes Maria M. Lopez's essay "Port work selves and entitlement 'attitudes' in peripheral postindustrial Puerto Rico" and Post Work, the Wages of Cybernation edited Stanley Aronowitz and Jonathan Cutler. The writer argues that these writers overlook certain unavoidable facts about American culture. Bibliography lists ...

This is a 5 page paper discussing the connection of ideas between Karl Marx, Bruce Barton, Juliet Schor, Joseph Heller and Nina Munk. Since the early writings of Karl Marx in the 1800s and his ideas that capitalism was bringing about the oppression of the working masses, several of the same elements have surfaced throughout ...

This is a 5 page paper discussing Robert Putnam’s “Democracy”. Robert Putnam’s “Democracy” tells of the importance of social capital in modern day democracy. Overall, it can be said that communities and countries which exhibit higher degrees of social capital and interaction also shift the idea of the “me” or self-interest to that of the ...

This 5 page paper contends that democracy is necessary to keep order in society. Plato and Aristotle's ideas on democracy are the focus of this paper, but contemporary thought is explored as well. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 12 page paper which examines and analyzes the life and works of Machiavelli. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

10 pages in length. Plato and Aristotle harbored decidedly different perspectives when it came to the requirements of a good political ruler. For Aristotle, the greater good set precedence for all other political considerations; those who do not approach government in this manner are overlooking the primary function of its existence. Plato, on ...

This essay examines the relevance of Jean Rousseau's "Social Contract" today. Topics covered include the right to vote in a democracy, the admonision against force, and the will of the majority. Topics from current events are used to compare the importance of Rousseau's words, close to four centuries after they were written.

This is a 5 page paper discussing Sidgwick’s “The Methods of Ethics” as he examines the morality behind the arguments of the Utilitarianism and the Egoist philosophies. In Henry Sidgwick’s “The Methods of Ethics”, he examines the morality behind the arguments of the Utilitarianism and the Egoist philosophies. In doing so, Sidgwick finds that the ...

A 5 page discussion of the various faces of environmental activism. The author of this paper observes that environmental activists are not always a ideologically cohesive group in regard to the manner in which the attempt to influence environmental decision making. The contention is presented that environmental activism is not always constructive in ...

This 5 page paper looks at Machiavelli's The Prince and how the concept of virtue is treated. Several contemporary leaders are referenced ( Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush). How Machiavelli's principles are applied to today's politics is discussed in depth. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 11-page paper focuses on sociologist Kenneth Waltz's 1959 book, "Man, the State and War." In addition to reviewing the book and discussing Waltz's theories, the essay determines the relevancy of those theories today, in the aftermath of the Cold War. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This is a 5 page paper discussing Machiavelli’s Princely and civic “virtu”. Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian politician and philosopher during the Italian Renaissance but was also tortured by the Medici and understood the various levels of politics within the society of the day. Despite his hardships within the political system, Machiavelli’s writings were ...

A 5 page research paper on the topic of nationalism, which focuses primarily on the book Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson. The writer contrasts and compares Anderson's text with the work of other theorists in this field, discussing the origins and implications of nationalism. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

A 6 page research paper that offers a one-page synopsis on political theories formulated by Edmund Burke, John Locke, John Rawls, Robert Nozick, John Stuart Mill, and John Dewey. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

This is a 6 page paper discussing the different regimes in Russia under Lenin and Stalin. The leadership styles of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin are considered to be somewhat different considering they both started out being part of the same Bolshevik party during the revolution in Russia in 1917. Lenin was established as the ...

This 6 page paper supports the idea of free trade, primarily with the comparative advantage theory. Other theories are explored as well as recent action by President George W. Bush. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page overview of Locke’s philosophies in regard to freedom and equality. This paper explores Locke’s contention in the Second Treatise Locke presented his belief that while the state of nature was a state of free and equal individuals, membership in civil society was based upon the premise of active consent. Bibliography ...

This 5 page report discusses the presidencies of Bill Clinton and Lyndon Johnson as portrayed on books written by men who were once their most trusted aides and advisors. In All Too Human, former Clinton administration top dog George Stephanopolous tells the world what his experiences were like as one of the president’s most influential ...

An 8 page discussion of the nature of nationalism. The author addresses the question of whether nationalism is a uniquely western phenomena or whether it has examples among eastern countries as well. The contention is made that nationalism exists the world over and can have both positive and negative results. Bibliography lists ...

This 5 page paper compares and contrasts the communist ideology with the democratic ideal. How people who support each ideology would view the September 11th attacks is explored. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page discussion of the societal problems which spawned these two revolutions. This paper emphasizes that while the French Revolution was fought to end an absolute monarchy, the American Revolution was fought to preserve the independence to which American colonists had grown accustomed. Includes five pages of text and a one-page free ...

A 5 page investigation of the social causes of terrorism. This paper investigates terrorism from a group fractionation standpoint. The author outlines Marx’s theory of conflict in comparison with the structural functionalist approach first founded by Radcliff-Brown and Evans-Pritchard and Max Weber’s multidimensional model of societal stratification. Bibliography lists 3 sources.