 Most Western thought ideas come to us from the Greeks  The most important player in the foundation of early political thought is Socrates  Left no writing of his own, what we know comes mainly from Plato

 Most important work in regards to Socrates and Plato  A series of conversations between Socrates and others  Socrates poses questions to the others  Responses help to shape thought

 Background impacts your views on politics Wealth Position  A key and very basic point to take away from this is the idea that only when Philosophers become Kings or when Kings become Philosophers can there be just rule

 Would continue to ideas of the Greeks  Continued the idea of rule by the upper class  Would divide its political structure by class

 Ideas that had been lost began to emerge during this time  Several Key figures would play a role in the development of Modern thought

 Multiple subjects were discussed  Social Contract People come together to form government in order to protect themselves  Locke and The Second Treatise of Government Idea of natural law

 Adam Smith and the Wealth of Nations Limited Government in Economy  Machiavelli and the Prince The question of is it better to be feared or loved

 Each of the previous had an impact on modern political thought as did many others  No one philosophy is correct or followed by anyone

 Emphasis on the impact of ideas on behavior, the equality and liberty of the individual and the need to protect people from excessive state regulation This follows the idea of Locke  Emphasis ethical principle over power  Individual as the seat of moral value and virtue  Human beings treated as ends rather than means

 Premise that world politics is essentially and unchangeably a struggle among self- interested states for power and position under anarchy, with each competing state pursuing its own national interests. Realpoitik: Prepare for war in order to insure peace  States are the most important actor on the stage  National Interest is the most important factor for states to consider

 Neoreaslim focuses on the global power structure when it comes to states making a decision  Neotraditional realism focuses more on the leaders of states and how they make decisions

 A perspective that accounts for the way international institutions promote global change, cooperation, peace, and prosperity through collective programs for reforms  The one that has the most to due with Globalization as it believes large multinational groups have the biggest impact