Rethinking the Foundations of Modern Political Thought

Quentin Skinner’s classic study The Foundations of Modern Political Thought was first published by Cambridge in 1978. This was the first of a series of outstanding publications that have changed forever the way the history of political thought is taught and practised. Rethinking the Foundations of Modern Political Thought looks afresh at the impact of the original work, asks why it still matters, and considers a number of significant agendas that it still inspires. A very distinguished international team of contributors has been assembled, including John Pocock, RichardTuck and David Armitage, and the result is an unusually powerful and cohesive contribution to the history of ideas, of interest to large numbers of students of early modern history and political thought. In conclusion, Skinner replies to each chapter and presents his own thoughts on the latest trends and the future direction of the history of political thought.

• The first comprehensive review of Quentin Skinner’s classic text, and the transformation if has brought about in the history of political thought • Contains a comprehensive reply from Skinner, allowing readers to see how he views the transformation his work has brought about and what he considers are today’s important trends • Includes chapters on all the major themes in intellectual history, from the Scholastics to Hobbes, by some of the major historians of ideas in the world today

Preface James Tully and Annabel Brett; Part I. Introduction: 1. The context of the Foundations Mark Goldie; 2. Linguistic philosophy and the Foundations Holly Hamilton-Bleakley; Part II. Rethinking the Foundations: 3. Foundations and moments J. G. A. Pocock; 4. Skinner, pre-Humanistic rhetorical culture and Machiavelli Marco Geuna; 5. Unoriginal authors: how to do things with texts in the Renaissance Warren Boutcher; 6. ‘The best state of the Commonwealth’: Thomas More and Quentin Skinner Cathy Curtis; 7. Scholasticism in Quentin Skinner’s Foundations H. M. Höpfl; 8. Scholastic political thought and the modern concept of the state Annabel Brett; 9. ‘So meerly humane’: theories of resistance in early modern Europe Martin van Gelderen; 10. Hobbes and democracy Richard Tuck; 11. A lion in the house: Hobbes and democracy Kinch Hoekstra; 12. Hobbes and the foundations of modern international thought David Armitage; 13. Surveying the Foundations: A retrospect and reassessment Quentin Skinner; Bibliography.