Theorists and Theorizing
POS 308 (17029), Fall 2010
T‐Th, 10:15‐11:35, CH 151
Professor M. Schoolman
Dept. Political Science
Milne 218 (mschlman@albany.edu)
Office Hours:
Thursday, Humanities 16.
Noon‐ 2:30 pm & by appt
Theorists and Theorizing
This course will focus on the works of two of the great theorists of
democracy, Alexis De Tocqueville and Karl Marx. We will take up their critiques of
democracy and capitalism, their visions of what a fully developed democratic
society should look like, and whether their critiques and visions are valid today.
The reasons for selecting these two political theorists to focus on are
straightforward. Both Tocqueville and Marx are concerned centrally with equality –
Tocqueville with the actual achievement of equality in America and its
consequences, most of which he believed to be negative; Marx with the positive
consequences of the absence of equality in capitalist society, namely the inevitability
of a socialist revolution stemming from class conflict.
Course Requirements
Every student is expected to participate in class on a regular basis, posing questions,
answering questions, contesting or arguing on behalf of the views of other students
in the course and, certainly, challenging the views of the instructor. Class
participation is valued at 25% of the final grade. Obviously, in order to participate
students must attend class. Attendance will be taken each class. As class meets but
twice each week during the course of the semester, which means two class absences
amount to missing a full week of class, students are discouraged from missing more
than one class during the term. Additional, unexcused class absences are grounds
for deregistration and failure.
Students are permitted to bring beverages to class, although no food of any
sort is permitted. Cell phones are to be turned off upon entering class. Students who
use computers for note taking are not permitted to use their computers for any
other application during class time. Students must arrive to class on time. If
anything competes with this obligation a student should take a different course with
more flexible requirements.
Required Reading (available at Mary Jane Books)
Alexis De Tocqueville, Democracy in America, volume II.
Karl Marx, Marx­Engels Reader
Weekly Assignments
August 30. Course introduction.
September 2. No class. APSA meeting.
September 7. Democracy in America, Book I, chs. 1‐5, pp. 3‐28.
September 9. No class. Jewish Holiday.
September 14. Democracy in America, Book I, chs. 6‐10, pp. 29‐47.
September 16. Democracy in America, Book I, chs. 11‐17, pp. 48‐76.
September 21. Democracy in America, Book I, ch. 18 – Book II, ch. 2, pp. 77‐99.
September 23. Democracy in America, Book II, chs. 3‐8, pp. pp. 100‐124.
September 28. Democracy in America, Book II, 9‐16, pp. 125‐148.
September 30. Democracy in America, Book II, ch. 17 ‐ Book III, ch. 3, pp. 149‐174.
October 5. Democracy in America, Book III, chs. 4‐9, pp. 175‐200.
October 7. Democracy in America, Book III, chs. 10‐15, pp. 201‐224.
October 12. Democracy in America, Book III, chs. 16‐20, pp. 225‐250.
October 14. No class.
October 19. Democracy in America, Book III, chs. 21‐26, pp. 251‐286.
October 21. Democracy in America, Book IV, chs. 1‐5, pp. 287‐315.
October 26. Democracy in America, Book IV, chs. 6‐8, pp. 316‐334.
October 28. Mid‐term examination.
November 2. Marx­Engels Reader, “Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right,” pp. 16‐
25.
November 4. Marx­Engels Reader, ”On the Jewish Question,” pp. 26‐46.
November 9. Marx­Engels Reader, “On the Jewish Question,” pp. 47‐52.
November 11. Marx­Engels Reader, “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts,”
pp. 67‐81.
November 16. Marx­Engels Reader, “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts,”
pp. 18‐105.
November 18. Marx­Engels Reader, “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts,”
pp. 106‐125.
November 23. Marx­Engels Reader, The German Ideology, part I, pp. 146‐175.
November 25. No class.
November 30. Marx­Engels Reader, The German Ideology, part I, pp. 175‐200.
December 2. Marx­Engels Reader, The Communist Manifesto, pp. 469‐500.
December 7. Last class. Course summary.