This book is a clear and thorough introduction to the origin, nature and course of political philosophy.

Part I. The Nature and Origin of Political Philosophy: 1. What philosophy is; 2. The origin of philosophy; 3. The nature of politics; 4. The origin of political philosophy; Part II. The Problem of Political Philosophy: 5. The best city; 6. Moderation; Part III. The Permutations of Political Philosophy: 7. Ancient and medieval political philosophy; 8. A kind of betrayal; 9. Modern political philosophy and post-modern thought; 10. Ancients and moderns; Epilogue.

Since his retirement from National Defense University in 1992, Richard G. Stevens has taught as Adjunct Professor of Government at American University. He had previously taught at the University of Washington and at Georgetown University. He is the author, most recently, of Reason and History in Judicial Judgment (2008) and The American Constitution and Its Provenance (1997) and the editor of the third edition of American Political Thought (2010) as well as the author of numerous journal articles in the fields of political philosophy and constitutional law.