University of the Philippines

College of Social Sciences and Philosophy

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

SOCIAL SCIENCE II
Social, Economic and Political Thought
Second Semester 2010-2011

Jan Robert R. Go THR-3 (0830-1000HRS) PH 434

Teaching Associate THV (1130-1300HRS) PH 406

THE COURSE

A survey of social, economic, and political thought from classical to contemporary periods.

THIS COURSE has two general learning objectives: (1) to carefully describe the main themes of selected social, economic, and
political thinkers of various periods of western civilization, and (2) to clearly demonstrate the continuity and discontinuity
in their “great conversation”.
Ancient Greek political theory is the fountainhead of social, economic, and political thought of the West. The
issues it raised, and the concepts it developed in addressing those issues, have largely determined the main directions of
Western economic, social, and political thought.
This is more evident in social and political thought than in economic thought. Joseph A. Schumpeter says that
economic analysis was “a very minor element” of classical and medieval thought. Systematic theorizing on economic
problems started towards the end of the 17th century. Hence, this survey will initially concentrate in social and political
thought. The economic ideas of classical and medieval thinkers, however, will also be noted.
In order to clearly identify the emphasis of the course, five themes will be pursued for all of the selected thinkers.
These are: (1) the blending of politics and ethics, (2) human nature and the purpose of political associations, (3) organizing
or constituting political associations, (4) why and how political associations change, and (5) issues in economic thought –
value, price, production, distribution, nature of market, and relationship between the state and market. Pursuing these
themes through the selected thinkers would reveal the “great conversation” among the different traditions of political,
economic and social thought.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Student performance will be evaluated on the basis of three examinations, participation in-group and plenary
discussions, and class attendance.
The examinations will focus on the concepts and conceptual systems of selected thinkers, and the similarities and
differences among these concepts and conceptual systems. Each of the three examinations has a weight of 25% of the final
grade.
Active participation in the class activities, such as oral report or group discussion, has a weight of 20% of the final
grade.
Class attendance has a weight of 5% of the final grade.

READING LIST

REQUIRED READINGS
Curtis, Michael. 1981. The Great Political Theories, Volume I and II. New York: Avon Books.
Social Science II Committee. 1992. Readings in Social Science II. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.

OPTIONAL READINGS
Ebenstein, W. and Ebenstein, A. 2000. Great Political Thinkers: Plato to the Present. Singapore: Thomson.
Gaarder, Jostein. 2001. Sophie’s World. London: Phoenix House.
Ronas, Malaya C. 1998. Angkan ni Socrates: Gabay sa Panimulang Talakayan sa Kaisipang Kanluran Hinggil sa Lipunan.
Ekonomiya, at Politika. Lungsod Quezon: UP Sentro ng Wikang Filipino.

SCHEDULE, TOPICS AND CLASS ACTIVITIES

SCHEDULE & OBJECTIVES TOPIC CLASS ACTIVITY READINGS

Day 1 (Nov.09.10)
Day 2 (Nov.11.10)
To define critical thinking.
To discuss the contributions of
classical Greek civilization to
critical thinking.
General Education and Specialist Education Lecture-discussion
Overview of Social Science II
Greek Legacy to Critical Thinking Lecture of Professor
Felipe B. Miranda
(DVD)

Day 3 (Nov.16.10)
Day 4 (Nov.18.10)
To explain how the nature of
human beings affects the
nature of the polis.
To discuss the Plato’s ideal
polis.
Day 5 (Nov.23.10)
Day 6 (Nov.25.10)
To explain how the nature of
human beings affects the
nature of the polis.
To discuss Aristotle’s ideal
and practicable polis.
Day 7 (Nov.30.10)
To give an overview of the
main themes of Medieval
Political Thought
Day 8 (Dec.02.10)
To explain how sin affects the
nature of the state (polis).
To discuss love of God and
love of self: Heavenly city and
Earthly city.
Social Science II | 2
Continuation Group-discussion
PLATO (c. 428-348 B.C.) The Republic (DVD), Michael Curtis (ed.),
1. Family and educational background Discovery Channel Great Political
2. Pre-Socratic and Socratic influences Theories Volume I
3. Plato’s political thought (New York: Avon
a. Conventional view of justice questioned Books, 1981) pp. 26-
b. Theory of justice 28, 34-64.
c. Origin of the polis
d. Justice in the individual and the polis Readings in Social
e. The just polis Science II (Quezon
f. Existing polis compared with the just City: University of
polis the Philippines, 1995),
• The purpose of existing polis pp. 1-27.
• The purpose of the just polis
4. Economic ideas of Plato
a. Division of labor
b. Common ownership of property among
guardians
Continuation Group-discussion
ARISTOTLE (384-322 B.C.) Lecture-discussion Curtis, pp. 28-30, 64-
1. Brief biography 101.
a. Family background
b. Education in Plato’s Academy Readings in Social
c. Academic work in the Lyceum Science II, pp. 28-53.
2. Political thought of Aristotle
1. Natural kinds of rule in the polis
a. Rule of the father over his family
b. Rule of parents over children
c. Rule of master over slave
2. Criticism of ideal polis and existing polis
a. Criticism of Plato, Phaleas, and
Hippodamus
b. Criticism of Sparta, Crete, and
Carthage
3. On citizenship, kinds of constitutions, and
distributive justice
a. Concept of citizenship and
comparison between good citizen
and good person
b. Kinds of constitution
c. Who should rule?
4. The best practicable way of governing the
polis and a guide to law-making
a. Doctrine of the mean applied to
practical governance
b. Principles for law-making
c. The best polis
3. Economic ideas of Aristotle
a. Management of the family
b. Natural and unnatural exchange
c. Private property and commonly owned
property
Medieval Political Thought Lecture of Professor
Lydia Casambre
(DVD)
ST AUGUSTINE (354-430 A.D.) Lecture-discussion Curtis, pp. 141-43,
1. Brief biography 146-156.
a. Family background
b. Conversion to Christianity Readings in Social
c. The fall of Rome and theological Science II, pp. 58-68.
discourses
2. Political thought of St. Augustine
a. Origin of the state
b. Two visible cities
c. Two invisible cities
d. “Justice reigns in the city where Christ

Day 9 (Dec.07.10)
To explain the Scholastic view
on the nature of human beings
and the state (polis).
To discuss the relationship
between the church and the
state.
To discuss the different kinds
of law.
Day 10 (Dec.09.10)
To compare the classical and
medieval views on the nature
of human beings and the state.
Day 11 (Dec.14.10)
Day 12 (Dec.16.10)
Day 13 (Jan.04.11)
To discuss the political
thought of Machiavelli in The
Prince and Discourses.
Day 14 (Jan.06.11)
Continuation of the discussion
of Machiavelli
Day 15 (Jan.11.11)
Day 16 (Jan.13.11)
To describe the Scientific
Revolution
Day 17 (Jan.18.11)
To present an overview of the
social contract theories
Day 18 (Jan.20.11)
To describe the nature of
human beings in the “state of
nature”.
To discuss the social contract
between the ruler(s) and the
ruled.
To discuss how social contract
had shaped the nature of civil
Social Science II | 3
rules”
3. Economic ideas of early Christian leaders
a. Teachings of the Apostles
b. Discourses on wealth and property
ST THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274) Lecture-discussion Curtis, pp. 177-78.
1. Life and times of St. Thomas Aquinas 196-210.
a. Early education
b. Theological studies, rediscovery of Readings in Social
Aristotle Science II, pp. 86-95.
c. Teaching career in the University of Paris
d. Scholasticism: blending of faith and
reason
2. Political thought of St. Thomas Aquinas
a. The inadequacy of the state
b. The state is natural
c. The state has divine nature
d. Two spheres theory: the church over the
state
• Individual and the state
• Four kinds of law
• Limited sovereignty
3. Economic ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas
a. Private property is not against natural law
b. Trading is legitimate
c. Just price
d. Usury is a sin
Integration Group-discussion
FIRST EXAMINATION
POST-EXAMINATION FREE DAY (LAST SESSION DAY OF THE YEAR)
Lecture of Professor
Francisco Nemenzo
(DVD)
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI (1469-1527) Lecture-discussion Curtis, pp. 215-17,
1. Brief biography 219-29.
a. What was reborn in the Renaissance? Readings in Social
b. Domestic and foreign rivalries Science II, pp. 86-95.
c. Second secretary of the chancery
d. Foreign missions to France and Vatican
2. Political thought of Machiavelli Group-discussion
a. Break between politics and ethics
b. Establishment of a “new order” and its
preservation
c. The ecclesiastical principality
d. Nationalism and liberation
3. Machiavelli’s place in the history of political
thought
Galileo’s Dialogo
(DVD) Discovery
Channel
Lecture of Professor
Carolina G. Herandez
(DVD)
THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679) Lecture-discussion Curtis, pp. 354-370.
1. Brief biography
a. Educational background Readings in Social
b. Tutor in the household of the Earl of Science II, pp. 96-109.
Devonshire
c. Civil war: Crown versus Parliament
d. Political sanctuary in France
2. Social contract theory of Thomas Hobbes
a. Human passions determine good and evil
b. Human passions lead to enmity and
distrust

society.
Day 19 (Jan.25.11)
To describe the nature of
human beings in the state of
nature.
To explain how the social
contract had shaped the nature
of civil society
Day 20 (Jan.27.11)
To describe the nature of
human beings in the state of
nature.
To discuss the injustice of the
social contract that aims to
protect property.
To discuss the concept of a just
social contract.
Day 21 (Feb.01.11)
To synthesize the realist views
of human nature and their
effect on politics
To compare the social contract
theories of Hobbes, Locke and
Rousseau.
Day 22 (Feb.03.11)
Day 23 (Feb.08.11)
Day 24 (Feb.10.11)
Day 25 (Feb.15.11)
To explain how the nature of
human beings shape society’s
economic structure (laissez
faire)
To discuss Smith’s views on
value, production,
distribution, and economic
growth.
Social Science II | 4
c. The extreme insecurity in the state of
nature prevented a socially ordered life
d. The “mutuality of protection and
obligation” in civil society
e. The state is superior to the church
JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704) Lecture-discussion Curtis, pp. 359-60,
1. Brief biography 372-89.
a. Family background
b. Education and academic career in Oxford Readings in Social
University Science II, pp. 109-26.
c. Career in politics
d. Glorious revolution of 1688
2. Social contract theory of John Locke
a. Divine rights of king questioned
b. “True original extent, and end of civil
government”
c. State of nature
• Origin of property
• Origin and end of civil society
• Limited government
• Right to resist
3. Locke’s economic thought
a. Theory of property
b. Labor theory of value
c. Money
JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU (1712-1778) Lecture-discussion Curtis, Volume 2, pp.
1. Brief biography 15-17, 18-34
a. Family background
b. Adventurous life: from Geneva to Savoy Readings in Social
to Paris Science II, pp. 127-45.
c. A niche in the literary and philosophical
circles of Paris and the world
2. Social contract theory of Rousseau
a. Passions of self-preservation and fellow
feeling of the primitive person
b. Origin of civil society
c. Social contract for a just civil society
d. The legislator and establishment of a just
civil society
e. Sovereign and government
f. How the government should be
constituted
Integration Group-discussion
SECOND EXAMINATION
POST-EXAMINATION FREE DAY
Liberal Political Economy Lecture of Professor
Emmanuel de Dios
(DVD)
ADAM SMITH (1723-1790) Lecture-discussion Curtis, Volume 2, pp.
1. Brief biography 105-17.
a. Family background
b. Education and academic career Readings in Social
c. Tutor in the household of the Duke of Science II, pp. 145-50.
Buccleuch
2. Smith’s theory of morality
a. The question of virtue is intimately linked
with sentiment.
b. Sympathy and imagination make a person
a social being.

Day 26 (Feb.17.11)
To discuss Ricardo’s
contributions to the theory of
value and theory of
comparative advantage.
Day 27 (Feb.22.11)
To discuss his theory of liberty
To discuss his revision of
utilitarianism
To discuss his revisions of
classical political economy.
Day 28 (Feb.24.11)
To explain social change from
the perspective of dialectical-
historical materialism.
Day 29 (Mar.01.11)
Day 30 (Mar.03.11)
To discuss Positivism and
Social Constructivism as
philosophy of social science
Day 31 (Mar.08.11)
To explain the implication of
social solidarity on the nature
of society.
Social Science II | 5
c. Private interest for common benefit
3. Laissez faire: “The obvious and simple system
of natural liberty”
a. Aim of society – “to better the condition
of man” – best served through its
opulence
b. Division of labor and productivity
c. Theory of value
d. Analysis of distribution
e. Theory of capital accumulation
David Ricardo (1772-1823) Lecture-discussion Readings in Social
1. Brief biography Science II, pp. 151-55.
a. Family background
b. Public debates over the currency issue
and corn law
c. Influence of Adam Smith and James Mill
2. Contributions to classical political economy
a. Theory of rent
b. Reformulation of theory of value
c. “Laws of distribution”
d. Law of comparative advantage
JOHN STUART MILL (1806-1873) Lecture-discussion Curtis, Volume II, pp.
1. Brief biography 105-8, 125-29.
a. Unorthodox education
b. Intellectual influences Readings in Social
2. Social and political thought Science II, pp. 155-59,
a. Revision of utilitarianism 160-77.
b. Education is the responsibility of the
government
c. Progress: from barbarism to civilization
d. Modern representative government
e. Liberty: precondition for modern society
f. Revision of classical political economy
• Revision of theory of value
• Modification of law of distribution
• Acceptance of stationary state
• State intervention
Marxism Through Time Lecture of Professor Curtis, Volume 2, pp
Francisco Nemenzo 155-80.
(DVD)
KARL MARX (1818-1883)
1. Brief biography
a. Family background
b. Education
c. Expulsion from Prussia and exile
2. Dialectical historical materialism
a. Class struggle and social change
b. Critique of liberal political economy
c. Vision of perfect society
Continuation Group-discussion
The Rise of Positivism and the Seeds of Social Lecture of Professor
Constructivism Cynthia Rose
Banzon-Bautista
(DVD)
EMILE DURKHEIM (1858-1917) Lecture-discussion Readings in Social
1. Brief biography Science II, pp. 219-31.
2. Division of labor in society
a. Two kinds of solidarity
b. Two kinds of societies
c. Collective consciousness and society
d. Social differentiation and division of labor
e. Origin of social differentiation
 Social Science II | 6

To discuss Weber’s views on MAX WEBER (1864-1920) Readings in Social

economics and politics.
To explain his theory of social
science.
Day 31 (Mar.10.11)
To compare modern and
postmodern views on human
nature and nature of society.
Day 32 (Mar.15.11)
To synthesize the recent views
regarding the relationship
between the state and market.
1. Brief biography Science II, pp. 207-19.
2. Sociology of religion
3. Political sociology
4. Theory of social science
Current Debates in the Social Sciences Lecture of Professor
Randolph S. David
(DVD)
Integration Group-discussion

To compare recent views

about society and politics.
Day 33 (Mar.17.11) THIRD EXAMINATION
END OF SOCIAL SCIENCE II

COURSE GRADE CONVERSION

RAW SCORE GRADE EQUIVALENT

95-100 1.00
90-94 1.25
85-89 1.50
80-84 1.75
76-79 2.00
72-75 2.25
68-71 2.50
64-67 2.75
60-63 3.00
50-59 4.00
00-50 5.00

OTHER CLASS POLICIES

1. Since attendance is part of the final grade, everyone is encouraged to complete all sessions. The maximum number of
absences allowed, per University rule, is six (6). Exceeding the limit means a final grade of 5.00, irrespective of the
nature of the absences (excused or unexcused).
2. No student would be allowed to enter the classroom if he/she is late for more than 20 minutes. At the same time, no
student must leave the classroom more than 15 minutes before the end of the class period.
3. Proper decorum is a must to ensure a harmonious and lively environment for discussion. Avoid unnecessary
interruption. Attitude fitting for a college student is expected in class.
4. Related to proper decorum, use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited. All phones should be turned off or put in
silent mode. Should the use of phone be inevitable, the student may silently exit the room without disrupting any on-
going discussion. Failure to comply with this rule will cause the class to take a quiz.
5. Absolutely no make-up exams will be given to those who miss any of the three exams unless the student has a valid
excuse (i.e., illness) and an official excuse slip or medical certification noted by the University Health Service.
6. No additional or special course work will be given to any student.
7. Eating is allowed inside the room except for any kind of food that may cause disturbance during class sessions.
8. Smiling is not prohibited.

CONSULTATION Office : Rm 3001, Faculty Centre, Bulwagang Rizal

Hours : 1300-1600HRS, Tuesdays and Thursdays
Email : janrobert.go@gmail.com, jrgo1@up.edu.ph

DATES TO REMEMBER

First Examination 14 December 2010, Tuesday

Second Examination 03 February 2011, Thursday
Third Examination 17 March 2011, Thursday
Last Day of Dropping 21 February 2011, Monday
End of Classes 22 March 2011, Tuesday