Alan Patten is Associate Professor of Political Science at McGill University, Montreal. He was previously Lecturer in Politics at the University of Exeter.

• 1. Introduction: Perspectives on Hegel's Idea of Freedom ; 2. Freedom as Rational Self-Determination ; 3. The Reciprocity Thesis in Kant and Hegel ; 4. Hegel and Social Contract Theory ; 5. Hegel's Justification of Private Property ; 6. A Civic Humanist Idea of Freedom ; Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index

a deliberate, well-written, and welcome addition to Hegel studies. It offers a detailed and persuasive account of Hegel's political thought that is driven rightly by his highest political good - freedom ... Patten offers helpful and interesting comparisons of Hegel's thought with Rousseau, Montesquieu, Marx, and especially Kant and Fichte. In addition, Patten maintains an on-going dialogue in the text and the notes with a variety of Hegel scholars on virtually every topic he considers ... Patten's study is well worth reading for students and scholars of Hegel's thought alike. Moreover, those who teach this often difficult thinker should add Patten's book to their list of secondary readings because of its clear and concise treatment of key approaches to, and issues in, Hegel's political thought.