POLS 107. Hegel & Marx (TH)

Hegel and Marx are two of the most profound and influential political philosophers of the modern era. What they have in common is a rejection of the abstraction inherent in the social-contract tradition and a countervailing emphasis on philosophical ideas as being embedded in historical processes. Where they differ is in their understanding of those ideas and that history. Put bluntly, is history driven by the development of philosophical systems or the development of different economic systems? And does that development point towards liberalism or socialism? To address these questions, this seminar will offer a close reading of key passages from Hegel and Marx, drawn from works such as Hegel’s Philosophy of History, Phenomenology of Spirit, and Philosophy of Right and Marx’s Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts, German Ideology and Capital. Where possible we will also consider philosophers that influenced them, such as Rousseau, Kant, Fichte and Feuerbach, as well as theorists that were influenced by them, such as the Frankfurt School. There are no formal prerequisites for this seminar, but a background in Modern Political Thought or Social & Political Philosophy would certainly be an advantage.
This seminar counts toward the Political Theory requirement.
Social Sciences.
2 credits.
Fall 2025. Thakkar.
Department website: swarthmore.edu/political-science

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