Political Innovation and Conceptual Change

This book defends the claim that politics is a linguistically constituted activity and shows that the concepts which inform political beliefs and behaviour undergo changes related to real political events. Having set out and discussed this theme, the editors and contributors go on to analyse the evolution of thirteen particular concepts, all central to political discourse in the western world. They include revolution, rights, democracy, property, corruption, public interest, public opinion, and ideology. The volume will be illuminating to political theorists, intellectual historians, and philosophers.

Preface; Editors’ introduction; 1. Language and poltical change Quentin Skinner; 2. Understanding conceptual change politically James Farr; 3. Constitution Graham Maddox; 4. Democracy Russell L. Hanson; 5. The state Quentin Skinner; 6. Representation Hanna Fenichel Pitkin; 7. Party Terence Ball; 8. Patriotism Mary G. Dietz; 9. Public interest J. A. W. Gunn; 10. Citizenship Michael Walzer; 11. Corruption J. Peter Euben; 12. Public opinion J. A. W. Gunn; 13. Ideology Mark Goldie; 14. Rights Richard Dagger; 15. Property Alan Ryan; 16. Revolution John Dunn; Index.