Political Philosophy and Theoretical Works

Treatises, essays and canonical works of political theory that argue for a view of the state, sovereignty, liberty or the proper ordering of society rather than themselves constituting law, including Leviathan, The Republic, The Social Contract, On Liberty, Two Treatises of Government, the Federalist Papers and the Communist Manifesto, both filed here as canonical primary works of political theory despite their advocacy character, since both are taught and classified as founding texts of political thought rather than as enacted instruments. Belongs here: a work of political argument or theory with no binding legal force of its own. Does not belong here: an enacted constitutional, legal or diplomatic instrument, whatever its historical influence on political thought, grouped under one of the other four subcategories.