Historical-Social Influences in the Structure of Political Theories

Abstract

Political and social theories differ from popular political thought only in that they are systematic, i.e. they represent an idea of society which is, if not actually deduced from an integral idea of reality, at least not overtly contradicting it. An individual may think of society subjectively and of general reality objectively, or vice versa; but political theories are obliged to harmonize their idea of society with their conception of reality in general. Such an integral systematization is not always explicitly undertaken, although an understanding of society is implicit in every political theory, and such understanding implies a comprehension of general reality as the setting for social events. Marx and Engels, for example, formed an idea of society and realized the need to bring it in harmony with general reality. Consequently Engels applied the principle categories of Marx’s social thesis to the interpretation of nature. Most other political theories are content with tacit implications which are nevertheless capable of being explicated post factum, by deduction, once the theory is presented. Political theories represent the systematic elaboration of the thinker’s idea of society.