First Principles in Politics (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

William Samuel Lilly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0428806864 ISBN 13: 9780428806866

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2022

Synopsis

Explore the first principles that shape a just state and representative government.

This book argues that law, reason, and human rights ground politics, not merely custom or convenience.

In clear terms, the work examines how a polity can be built on enduring ideas of right and justice. It treats the State as an ethical organism, where political power should reflect the worth of each person and the variety of social forces that make up a nation. The author also discusses the long history of representation, arguing that true self-government must balance equal rights with the realities of unequal capacities and interests.

Readers will find a practical, statecraft-focused approach. The text connects core moral principles to the design of institutions, from medieval forms to modern concerns, and it challenges simple notions of democracy that rely only on majority rule.

• Understand how justice underpins the organization of the State and its laws
• Learn why representation should reflect diverse social and economic forces
• Explore critiques of pure democracy and the idea of equal and unequal political power
• See historical context for representative government and its practical applications

Ideal for readers of political philosophy and legal history who want a grounded, thoughtful view of how governments ought to work.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0428806864
• ISBN 13: 9780428806866
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 384