Niccolo Machiavelli

Ideas – Wisdom in the ways of the world can be achieved by careful observation of how people act an a study of history. – Human nature is such that individuals will seek gratification of their listing for power, pleasures, and profit. – The essential feture of all society struggle and intense competitiveness. –

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Nicos Poulantzas

Nicos Poulantzas, a Greek political scientist and euro-communist activist, was born in Athens. In 1960, he moved to France, where he lived and worked during the 60s and 70s.. His most famous works were Political Power and Social Classes, 1973 and Classes in Contemporary Capitalism, 1975. Nicos Poulantzas developed theories of social classes and

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Pierre Joseph Proudhon

French writer and political theorist, sometimes referred to as the father of modern anarchism. Pierre-Joseph Proudhon was born in Besançon on January 15, 1809. Proudhon is a rarity among anarchist philosophers in that he was of quite humble peasant origins. He began his working life herding cows and doing chores at home. His mother, Catherine

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Robert Alan Dahl

Professor Robert Alan Dahl is the Sterling Professor Emeritus of Political Science and the Senior Research Scientist in Sociology in Yale University. Major works of Robert Dahl – Congress and Foreign Policy – Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C.E. Lindblom) – A Preface to Democratic Theory – Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an

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Robert Michels

Born to a wealthy German family, Robert Michels is a sociologist best known for his book Political Parties, which contains a description of the iron law of oligarchy, which states that political parties and other membership organizations inevitably tend toward oligarchy,authoritarianism, and bureaucracy. He moved to Italy, where he became a revolutionary syndicalist. He died in Rome

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Rodney Barker

Rodney Barker is a professor of government in London School of Economics. He has published on political thinking in modern Britain, and on the legitimation of governments, subjects, and rebels. His most recent books in these fields are Political Ideas in Modern Britain in and after the Twentieth Century, published by Routledge in 1997,

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Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Born on May 4, 1870 this son of a Russian nobleman was to have a profound effect on the future of Russia and, indeed, the world. His father had been the son of a serf who had risen to post of inspector of schools in Simbirsk. While his mother was the daughter of land

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Antisthenes

Antisthenes, an Athenian philosopher, was born in Athens about 440 BCE. of a Phrygian or Thracian mother, and thus was only a half citizen. In his youth he was engaged in military exploits, and acquired fame by the valor which he displayed in the battle of Tanagra. His first studies were under the direction

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