Author: Emptinez

The Problem of Political Authority: is there an account of the state’s authority?

March 27, 2015

To define the terms and concepts contained in the question: is there an account of the state’s authority? A state is group of persons who have and exercise supreme political authority within a given jurisdiction or territory (Wolff, 1970, 4). Despite slight conceptual differences, generally, political authority is considered as the right to command and … More The Problem of Political Authority: is there an account of the state’s authority?

Ancient Indian Political Thought: A Historiographical Analysis

December 28, 2014

(This is an introductory chapter from a longer research paper on the Buddha’s political ideas: A Compassionate Polity: The Buddha as Political Philosopher) The study of Buddha’s political ideas must be done through a contextualist approach to the social, economic and political conditions of the time during which the historical Buddha lived and expounded his … More Ancient Indian Political Thought: A Historiographical Analysis

Buddha’s Political Philosophy

January 25, 2014

Was the Buddha a Political Philosopher? The general (perhaps only the Western) view is that there is little to no contribution to ancient political thought from Asia. In recent scholarship, Indian and Chinese scholars have argued that Kautilya’s Arthashastra (some include Manu’s Laws) and Confucius’ Analects have much to contribute to ancient political thought and … More Buddha’s Political Philosophy

There Are Only Desires

December 18, 2013

In the Book IV of Plato’s The Republic, Plato has Socrates make a series of arguments that attempt to establish that soul has three parts. Plato’s theory of soul is one of the earliest discussions on human psychology in the history of Western philosophy. This piece discusses and investigates the plausibility of Plato’s argument for … More There Are Only Desires

Lev Tolstoy’s Anarchism: The Marriage of Pacifism & Anarchism

October 23, 2013

Like Bakunin and Kropotkin, Tolstoy was from an aristocratic background and also an extensive traveller. Tolstoy remained an aristocrat and lived on his family estate until he reached the “third period[1]” of his life,  rejected his former mode of life and renounced all claims to his hereditary property and estates to live a simple life … More Lev Tolstoy’s Anarchism: The Marriage of Pacifism & Anarchism

Anarchist Thoughts: Proudhon & Bakunin

October 3, 2013

This paper attempts to compare and analyze how and in what ways Proudhonian and Bakuninian anarchism are similar or different. It also looks at historical events and incidents in their lives that might have influenced the excitement and evolution of their anarchist thoughts. Proudhon is recognized as the father of modern anarchism whose ideas of … More Anarchist Thoughts: Proudhon & Bakunin

Joseph Proudhon: The Founder of Modern Anarchism

September 26, 2013

Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865), the founder of modern anarchism, opens his most celebrated essay “What is Property?” by posing a challenging question: what is slavery? And answers it himself by say that ‘slavery is murder’ and maintains that no extended argument is required even though he elaborates on it later. This short post attempts to examine and … More Joseph Proudhon: The Founder of Modern Anarchism

What is Anarchism?

September 12, 2013

In the prologue to Anarchism, Woodcock attempts to define anarchism and debunks the stereotypes imposed on anarchists (ism) by exposing the historical misunderstandings and semantic confusions associated with the movement. Despite many variations within the tradition, Woodcock asserts that by examining the doctrines from Proudhon and Bakunin to Kropotkin, Godwin and Stirner, anarchism is a … More What is Anarchism?