John Plamenatz (1912-1975) was Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory at All Souls College, Oxford.

• All readings are selections: Part 1: Freedom and Opportunity 1. Second Treatise of Civil Government John Locke 2. Of the Spirit of the Laws Montesquieu 3. Julie or La Nouvelle Héloïse J-J Rousseau 4. Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies; Letter on the Affairs of America Emund Burke 5. Of the Spirit of Conquest Benjamin Constant 6. On Liberty J.S. Mill 7. Essays on Freedom and Power Lord Acton 8. Equality R. H. Tawney Part 2: The Functions of Government and the Limits of Authority 1. Of Civil Government and the Limits of Authority John Locke 2. Persian Letters Montesquieu 3. Philosophical Dictionary Voltaire 4. Speech on American Taxation; Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies; An address to the King; Letter on the Affairs of America Edmund Burke 5. The Theory of Legislation Jeremy Bentham 6. The Principles of Politics Benjamin Constant 7. On Liberty J.S. Mill Part 3: The Spirit and Machinery of Free Government 1. Of Civil Government John Locke 2. Persian Letters; Of the Spirit of the Laws Montesquieu 3. Speech to the Electors of Bristol; Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies; Address to the British Colonists in North America Edmund Burke 4. The Theory of Legislation Jeremy Bentham 5. Democracy in America Tocqueville 6. On Liberty; Representative Government J.S. Mill Part 4: Freedom of Thought and Utterance 1. Areopagitica John Milton 2. Letter Concerning Toleration John Locke 3. Persian Letters; Of the Spirit of the Laws Montesquieu 4. Philosophical Dictionary Voltaire 5. Essays, Moral, Political and Literary Part 1 David Hume 6. The Theory of Legislation Jeremy Bentham 7. Principles of Politics; On the Freedom to Publish Pamphlets Benjamin Constant 8. On Liberty J.S. Mill Part 5: Freedom Endangered 1. A Sustained Refutation of the Work of Helvetius Entitled ‘Man’ Denis Diderot 2. Letter on the Affairs of America Edmund Burke 3. A Warning to the French People as to Their True Enemies André Chénier 4. Of the Spirit of Conquest; The Principles of Politics Benjamin Constant 5. Democracy in America Tocqueville 6. On Liberty J.S. Mill 7. Equality R. H. Tawney