Abstract

Greenleaf combines solid historical scholarship with philosophical understanding in this useful and detailed study of political thought in 16th and 17th century England. The first half of the book reconstructs the position of the royalists and argues that the philosophical defense of absolute monarchy is much stronger than Locke would lead us to believe in his attack on Filmer. After a chapter on Bodin the empiricists are discussed as the forerunners of empirical and historical study of politics. The concluding chapter summarizes the discussion and establishes the background for Locke's political writings.—K. A. M.