American Revolution: Rights, Representation, and Identity
American Revolutionary Ideals: A New Foundation
The American experience diverged significantly from the European concept of the ‘individual’ in relation to pre-state rights. The Revolution established a dimension rooted in natural history, justified by both predominantly European theoretical formulations of natural rights and the British historicist tradition of limited government for security purposes.
American Historicism and Individualism
In short, the American revolutionary culture of rights and
Read MorePolitics and Constitutionalism in the Liberal State: Direct vs. Representative Democracy
Politics and Constitutionalism in the Liberal State
The Constitutional State emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, founded on the principle of representative democracy. In this system, citizens express their will through elected representatives. Works on the history of political thought often focus on the discussion between direct and indirect democracy.
Rousseau’s Perspective on Sovereignty
Rousseau argued that when sovereignty is vested in the people, it cannot be divisible (i.e., split
Read MoreComparative Politics Methodologies: Systems, Culture, Economy
The Political Culture Approach
The Political Culture Approach is a significant method in comparative politics. It helps us understand how political systems function, not just through their structures and institutions, but through the attitudes, beliefs, and values of the people who live under them. First introduced by Gabriel Almond in 1956, it gained popularity during the behavioral revolution of the 1950s and 1960s.
Political culture refers to the psychological orientation of individuals towards
Read MoreKey Concepts of Transformative Eras: Science, Enlightenment, Industry
The Scientific Revolution
Geocentric Theory
An Earth-centered view of the universe.
Heliocentric Theory
The theory that the Sun is at the center of the universe.
Galileo Galilei
A scientist who was forced by the Catholic Church to retract scientific ideas that conflicted with the Church’s doctrine.
Scientific Method
A logical procedure for gathering and testing ideas.
Isaac Newton
A scientist renowned for discovering the laws of motion and universal gravitation.
Nicolaus Copernicus
Devised a model of the universe
Read MoreMercantilism’s Modern Face: US Trade Policy Under Trump & Biden
Mercantilism: A State-Centered Economic Perspective
Mercantilism is a state-centered perspective in International Political Economy (IPE). It views the economy as an instrument of national power and security rather than a neutral system. Mercantilist theory assumes that international economic relations are inherently conflictual, operating under a zero-sum logic where one state’s gain comes at the expense of another. Under this logic, wealth is finite, and nations compete to secure the largest
Read MoreSavarkar’s Ideology: Hindutva, Nationalism, and Social Reform
Savarkar’s Reinterpretation of Indian History
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s approach to Indian historiography marked a shift from colonial interpretations to a nationalist retelling of India’s past. His work aimed at inspiring patriotism and building a collective national identity rooted in resistance, pride, and civilizational unity. The most notable example of this is his book, *”The First War of Indian Independence, 1857″*, in which he argued that the 1857 revolt was not a mere mutiny, as the British
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