Compulsory Course - 3nd Semester (Autumn 2nd year) | Course ID: SC11 | E-Class

Lecturer

Michalis Psalidopoulos

Language of instruction

Greek

Course description

The course is divided “horizontally” into three major units covering the three social sciences we will touch upon (Political Theory, Political Economy, and Sociology). In addition, it is articulated “vertically” into three course cycles, each of which includes three three-hour lessons, one for each module. The main body of teaching will be completed in 9 lessons not including the first introductory and last concluding lesson. Schematically, the course structure is as follows:

Lesson 1: Introduction

• Aim of the course and literature guide
• Phases in the evolution of capitalism, 1648-2010
• Political developments and social transformation

Cycle A.  From absolutism to liberalism

Lesson 2: Political Theory 1.

• Montesquieu, Hobbes, Locke, and Hume

Lesson 3: Political Economy 1.

• Mercantilism, Physiocracy, Smith and Ricardo

Lesson 4: Social Theory 1.

• Comte and Spencer, Saint-Simon, Fourier, Owen Marx

Cycle B. The dominance of liberalism and the critique of liberalism

Lesson 5: Political Theory 2.

• Buonarroti and Mancini, Tocqueville, Mill, Green, Mosca, Pareto, Michels

Lesson 6: Political Economy 2.

• German Historical School, Veblen, Neoclassicism I

Lesson 7: Social Theory 2.

• Durkheim and Weber, Proudhon, Bakunin, Sombart, Simmel

Cycle C. From the rule of the elites to the rule of the masses

Lesson 8: Political Theory 3.

• Rodbertus and Lasalle, Bernstein, Kautsky, Lenin

Lesson 9: Political Economy 3.

• Neoclassicism II, Marshall, Pigou, Keynes, Schumpeter

Lesson 10: Social Theory 3

• Fascism/Nazism, Polanyi and Parsons, Croce, and Popper

Lesson 11: Political Economy after 1945 (short presentation) 

• Becker, Posner, Rawls, Friedman and Hayek, Samuelson, Davidson and Minsky
• Analytical Marxism and other heterodox approaches

Conclusions

Bibliography

Main Textbook

• Scott Gordon, History and Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Routledge, London, 1990

Supplementary bibliography

 [Greek editions are provided in the Greek Study Guide]

1. Political Theory

• Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
• Hobbes, Th., Leviathan
• Locke, J., Second Treatise on Government
• Locke, J., A Letter Concerning Toleration
• Tocqueville, A. de, Democracy in America
• Tocqueville, A. de, The Old Regime and the Revolution
• Mill, J. St., On Liberty
• Mill, J. St., Utilitarianism
• Lenin, V. I., The State and Revolution
• Lenin, V. I., Imperialism - The Highest Stage of Capitalism
• Bernstein, E., The Prerequisites for Socialism and the Tasks of Social Democracy
• Kautsky, K., The Social Revolution
• Poulantzas, N., Fascism and Dictatorship
• Canto-Sperber, M., Socialism and Liberalism.

2. Political Economy

• Hume, D., Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary
• Smith, A., Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations 
• Ricardo, D., On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation
• Keynes, J. M., The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money
• Heilbroner, R., The Worldly Philosophers
• Rubin I. I., History of Economic Thought
• Fine, B., Economic Theory and Ideology
• Fine, B. & L. Harris, Rereading “Capital”.

3. Sociology

• Marx, C., & F. Engels, The Manifesto of the Communist Party
• Marx, C., Capital, Volumes 1, 2, & 3
• Marx, K., The Civil War in France
• Durkheim, E., The Rules of Sociological Method
• Weber, M., Basic Concepts in Sociology
• Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
• Weber, M., Economy and Society
• Proudhon, P. G., On Property
• Bakunin, M., The Paris Commune and the Idea of the State
• Schumpeter, J. A., Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy
• Aron, R., The Evolution of Sociological Thought, Vol. 1 (Montesquieu, Comte, Marx, Tocqueville), Vol. 2 (Durkheim, Pareto, Weber),
• Craib, I., Modern Social Theory. From Parsons to Habermas.

In addition, for all three topics you can find classical texts in electronic form in English at the following sites:

http://www.marxists.org/archive/index.htm

http://www.hetwebsite.net/het/

https://oll.libertyfund.org/

Assessment

By written examination and assignment. Students are required to prepare a paper, individually or jointly (up to two persons), on the thinkers and currents of thought to be taught, after consultation with the lecturer. The papers will be presented during the course, when the flow of the course requires it, according to the announced schedule. Assignments not presented in class will not be considered. The written version of the assignment is sent electronically to the instructor before the end of the semester. Assignments do not waive the requirement of the final written examination.