For a half-century or more, political theory has been characterized by a pronounced distrust of metaphysical or ontological speculation. Such a disposition has been sharply at odds with influential currents in post-war philosophy - both analytic and continental - where metaphysical issues have become a central preoccupation. The Idea of the State seeks to reaffirm the importance of systematic philosophical inquiry into the foundations of political life, and to show how such an approach can cast a new and highly instructive light on a variety of controversial, seemingly intractable problems of tolerance, civil disobedience, democracy and consent. The author considers the problem of the state in light of recent developments in philosophy and social thought, and seeks to provide an account of what the state really is. In doing so he pursues a range of fundamental issues pertaining to the office, the authority and the internal organization of political society.

This book traces the history of an idea of freedom in political thought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from its emergence following the Union of Lublin in 1569 to its collapse in 1795.

This work brings together major accords and protocols that form the institutional framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); a selection of policy statements by the leaders of CIS countries; a chronological record of political, economic and military security developments and major crises in CIS "hot spots"; and statistics and country profiles.

This book describes how ideas about federalism influenced those who drafted the Australian Constitution.

The late Daniel J. Elazar was increasingly concerned with the distortions of democracy in contemporary society. In Commonwealth, he brought together a distinguished group of political scientists to examine the Swiss model of democracy, in its original emphasis on community, or the "commonwealth." Contributors to the volume take the Swiss model as a base from which to critique the liberal model, best exemplified by the United States. While it is admittedly the best contemporary example of liberal democracy, or "civil society," America also displays the problems of this model. The modern idea of communal democracy has almost completely disappeared from the United States, contributors argue. In incisive and cogent essays, they suggest that the modern idea of communal democracy may not just be an alternative but a needed antidote to many of the problems with the American system. The scholars gathered in this important collection explore the question of how to maintain both community and liberty while at the same time adjusting to changes in the scale of political organization needed for economic prosperity and defense. The results yield a unique perspective on contemporary democracy for political theorists and concerned lay readers alike.

Shining new light onto an historically pivotal time, this book re-examines the Tudor commonwealth from a socio-political perspective and looks at its links to its own past. Each essay in this collection addresses a different aspect of the intellectual and cultural climate of the time, going beyond the politics of state into the underlying thought and tradition that shaped Tudor policy. Placing security and economics at the centre of debate, the key issues are considered in the context of medieval precedence and the wider European picture.

Whilst much recent research has dealt with the popular response to the religious change ushered in during the mid-Tudor period, this book focuses not just on the response to broad liturgical and doctrinal change, but also looks at how theological and reform messages could be utilized among local leaders and civic elites. It is this cohort that has often been neglected in previous efforts to ascertain the often elusive position of the common woman or man. Using the Vale of Gloucester as a case study, the book refocuses attention onto the concept of "commonwealth" and links it to a gradual, but long-standing dissatisfaction with local religious houses. It shows how monasteries, endowed initially out of the charitable impulses of elites, increasingly came to depend on lay stewards to remain viable. During the economic downturn of the mid-Tudor period, when urban and landed elites refocused their attention on restoring the commonwealth which they believed had broken down, they increasingly viewed the charity offered by religious houses as insufficient to meet the local needs. In such a climate the Protestant social gospel seemed to provide a valid alternative to which many people gravitated. Holding to scrutiny the “revisionist revolution” of the past twenty years, the book reopens debate and challenges conventional thinking about the ways the traditional church lost influence in the late middle ages, positing the idea that the problems with the religious houses were not just the creation of the reformers but had rather a long history. In so doing it offers a more complete picture of reform that goes beyond head-counting by looking at the political relationships and how they were affected by religious ideas to bring about change.

The Commonwealth: A New Look outlines the vast amount of cooperative endeavors carried out under the Commonwealth umbrella. This book begins by introducing misconceptions held about the Commonwealth and a brief account of its evolution from the British Empire. The conferences of Commonwealth leaders from the 19th century until 1975 are also described. This compilation discusses the Commonwealth cooperation programs in education, youth, law, health services, and science. A background of the work of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is likewise deliberated. The last chapter of this text is devoted to future possibilities whether the Commonwealth is worth keeping alive. This publication is a good reference for students and individuals interested in the Commonwealth, as well as Third World studies and international relations.

This work is an attempt to change thinking not only on the political practice and the role of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in a European context (both East and West), but to also connect the early modern past with present notions of citizenship and participatory political systems.