Social Studies 10a:
Introduction to Social Studies Fall 2014
Professors:
Richard Tuck, richard_tuck@harvard.edu
Michael Frazer, mfrazer@gov.harvard.edu
Course Director:
Kevin Caffrey, kcaffrey@fas.harvard.edu
Lectures Tuesdays, 2-4 PM, Sever Hall 113 (Plus a Weekly Tutorial to be Arranged)
This course offers an introduction to the classic texts of social theory of the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. Our focus will be on the rise of democratic, capitalist societies and the
concomitant development of modern moral, political, and economic ideas.
Social Studies 10a is an intensive, challenging course designed exclusively for sophomores who
are seriously considering concentrating in Social Studies. This course is a prerequisite for
applying to Social Studies. Students planning to take this class must attend the first lecture to be
admitted. All those who enroll in 10a are encouraged to continue their introduction to social
theory in Social Studies 10b in the spring. 10b is open only to Social Studies concentrators.
Unlike other courses with lectures and sections, this course features lectures and tutorials. Your
tutor has considerably more autonomy than the TFs who might have led your sections in the past.
It is up to the tutor to decide on the written assignments for your tutorial, as well as to determine
tutorial policies regarding grading, attendance, etc. Essentially, each tutorial is an independent
class, united only by a common reading list and weekly lectures. While the professors determine
the reading list and give a majority of lectures, and while the assistant course head handles
administrative matters pertaining to the course as a whole, each tutor has the ultimate authority
for each tutorial. Tutors do, however, meet weekly before lecture to discuss issues related to the
course.
Please be aware of the necessary academic integrity policy for this course concerning
collaboration. Discussion and the exchange of ideas are essential to academic work. For
assignments in this course, you are encouraged to consult with your classmates on the choice of
paper topics and to share sources. You may find it useful to discuss your chosen topic with your
peers, particularly if you are working on the same topic as a classmate. However, you should
ensure that any written work you submit for evaluation is the result of your own research and
writing and that it reflects your own approach to the topic. You must also adhere to standard
citation practices in this discipline and properly cite any books, articles, websites, lectures, etc.
that have helped you with your work. If you received any help with your writing (feedback on
drafts, etc), you must also acknowledge this assistance.
Reading List:
Week 1:
September 2
Introduction
Week 2:
Hobbes
1
September 9
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Chs. 13, 14, 15 (on website)
Thomas Hobbes, Elements of Law, Book II, Ch.10, §8 (on website)
Week 3:
September 16
Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Basic Political Writings (Hackett)
“Discourse on the Origin of Inequality,” pp. 25-81
“On the Social Contract,” pp. 141-227
Week 4:
September 23
Adam Smith I
David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (Oxford
Philosophical Texts)
Section 1 – Section 5 (pp. 73-118)
Conclusion – Appendix 3 (pp. 145-175)
Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (Liberty Classics)
Part I, pp. 9-26, 50-66
Part II, pp. 67-71, 82-92
Part III, pp. 109-113, 126-131, 149-150, 171-178
Part IV, pp. 179-193
Part VI, pp. 212-217, 227-237
Part VII, pp. 265-266
Week 5:
September 30
Smith II
Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations (Liberty Classics)
Book I: Ch. 1-2 (all); Ch. 3: §1-2; Ch. 4: §1-4, 13-18; Ch. 5: §1-10; Ch.
6: §1-9; Ch. 7: all; Ch. 8: §1-28, 36-48; Ch. 9: §10-11, 13, 20, 24; Ch.
10: §1-3; Part I (page 116): §1-2, 5-9, 11-12, 17-30; Part II (page 135):
§1-7, 12-13, 16-25, 27-33, 36-38, 40-43, 45-46, 48, 51-54, 58-61; Ch. 11:
Conclusion (pages 264-7).
Book II: Intro; Ch. 1 (all); Ch. 3: §1-20, 25-32, 42.
Book III: Ch. 1 (all); Ch. 2: §1-4, 7, 9-21; Ch. 3: §1-12; Ch. 4: 1-7, 1013, 15-19, 24.
Book IV: Ch. 1: §1-10, 35-45; Ch. 2: §1-31, 37, 40-45; Ch. 3: Part II
(page 488): §1-3, 8-13; Ch. 8: §1-2, skim §3-14, 25-32, 47-51, 54.
Book V: Ch. 1: Part I: §1 (p.688), §15-19, 39-44; pages 708-728 (incl.
§14); §1-61 (pages 758-788); §1-19 (pp. 788-799) ; Conclusion (on p.
814-6) ; Ch. 2: §1-7 (817-9), 13, 18-21; Part II, §1-7, §12-18 (on pp. 8313), §1-3 (on pp. 864-5); §1-9 (869-73), 19-20, 31-34, 43-44, 66 (on p.
899), 69, 73-4, 76, 78
Week 6:
October 7
Kant
Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (Hackett)
Immanuel Kant, Political Writings (Cambridge)
“On the Common Saying: ‘This May Be True in Theory, But it Does Not Apply
in Practice,’” pp. 61-92
“Conjectures on the Beginning of Human History,” pp. 221-234
Week 7:
October 14
Hegel
Benjamin Constant, “The Liberty of the Ancients Compared to the Moderns”
(online)
2
G. W. F. Hegel, Introduction to the Philosophy of History with an Appendix from
the Philosophy of Right (Hackett)
G. W. F. Hegel, Elements of the Philosophy of Right (Cambridge)
“Civil Society,” sections A and C
G. W. F. Hegel, “The Master-Slave Dialectic” (online)
Week 8:
October 21
Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, ed. Mayer, trans.
George Lawrence (Harper and Row)
Volume One
Introduction
Part 1, Chs. 3, 4; Ch. 5, pp. 61-70, 86-99
Part 2, Chs. 4; Ch. 5, pp. 196-202, 218-231; Ch. 6-9;
Ch. 10, pp. 327-332; 340-63
Volume Two
Preface
Part I, Chs. 1-3; 5
Part II, Chs. 1-9; 13; 17; 20
Part III, Chs. 1; 8-12; 19; 21
Part IV, entire
Week 9:
October 28
Mill I
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty and Other Essays (Oxford)
“Utilitarianism,” Ch 1-2 (pp. 131-158), Ch 5 (pp. 176-201)
“Considerations on Representative Government” Ch. 3-4 (pp. 238-268),
Ch. 6-8 (pp. 285-345), Ch. 16 (pp. 427-434), Ch. 18 (pp. 447-467)
“The Subjection of Women” Ch. 1 (pp. 471-501)
Week 10:
November 4
Mill II
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty and Other Essays (Oxford)
“On Liberty,” pp. 5-128
John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy, Book IV, Ch. 7 (online)
John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic, pp. 545-573 (online)
Week 11:
November 11
Marx I
The Marx-Engels Reader, ed. Tucker (Norton)
Karl Marx, “On the Jewish Question,” pp. 26-52
Karl Marx, “A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s ‘Philosophy of
Right,” Intro,” pp. 53-65.
Karl Marx, “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844,” pp. 70105
Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach,” pp. 143-145
Week 12:
November 18
Marx II
The Marx-Engels Reader, ed. Tucker (Norton)
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “The German Ideology,” pp. 146-200
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “Manifesto of the Communist Party,” pp.
473-491
3
Karl Marx, “1872 Amsterdam Speech,” pp. 522-524
Karl Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Program,” pp. 525-541
Week 13:
November 25
Marx III
The Marx-Engels Reader, ed. Tucker (Norton)
Karl Marx, “Capital: Volume One,” pp. 294-438
No Lecture or Tutorials Week of December 2.
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