The Political Philosophy of Needs

by Lawrence A. Hamilton

Overview

Lawrence Hamilton argues for the rehabilitation of the concept of "human needs" as central to politics and political theory. Contemporary political philosophy has focused on issues of justice and welfare, excluding the important issues of political participation, democratic sovereignty, and the satisfaction of human needs, with a deleterious effect on political practice. Hamilton's argument is enhanced throughout by his development of topics such as autonomy, recognition, rights, civil society, liberalism, and democracy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521034043
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/15/2007
Pages:	220
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.55(d)

About the Author

Lawrence Hamilton is Mellon Research Fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge.

Table of Contents

Preface; Introduction; 1. Liberalism's rights-preferences couple; 2. Beyond the rights-preferences couple; 3. The form and outline of the argument; Part I. The Nature of Needs: 4. Need categories; 5. Vital needs; 6. Particular social needs; 7. Agency needs; 8. The natures of needs: historical, normative, political; Part II. The Formation and Interpretation of Needs: 9. Generation and legitimation; 10. Normative power and the institution of private property; 11. Perception and interpretation; 12. Oppression and need; 13. True interests; 14. The concepts of true interest; Part III. The Political Evaluation of Needs: 15. Freedom and rights: a critique of the concept of 'civil society'; 16. Practices, institutions, and the evaluation of institutions; 17. Roles: reclaiming the census; 18. Practical reason and practical imperatives; Part IV. The State of Needs: 19. The state; 20. The modern state, coercion and power; 21. The state as ultimate evaluator and guarantor for meeting needs; 22. Need priority: practical not theoretical; 23. Political participation: procedural and institutional proposals; 24. Legitimacy and paternalism; 25. States of needs; Conclusion: What needs to be done? The case of South Africa; Bibliography; Index.