Book Reviews and Notices : Western Political Thought. BY JOHN BOWLE. (London: Jonathan Cape. 1947. Pp. 472. $5.00.)

• Date: 01 September 1948
• DOI: 10.1177/106591294800100319
• Published date: 01 September 1948
• Subject Matter: Articles

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ideas, point by point, with those of sixteenth century theorists more familiar
to the American student-Boucher, Luther, Calvin, Althusius and others.
In this manner the translator takes up such topics as Mariana’s views on
the origin of society (showing the influence of Aristotle, Cicero and Seneca),
the nature and source of political power, of obedience and resistance, of the
divine rights of kings, and of Mariana’s controversial doctrine of tyrannicide.
The translator seems to agree with Figgis in holding Mariana to be a &dquo;very
Spanish&dquo; nationalist and his book to be sui generis even among Jesuit writ-
ings in this unstable period.
The main work itself comprises about 275 pages of the entire book.
There is an excellent bibliography of primary, secondary and periodical
material, and an index of almost colossal proportions-fifty-five pages. A
bibliophile would find the comment upon the manuscripts, revisions and
editions most useful. The entire publication is quite free from typographical
error.
Among the bibliographical weak spots in teaching political theory-
at least to this reviewer-is the absence of adequate translations of then
works of the minor theorists readily accessible for giving to undergraduates
the intellectual flavor of the several periods. Whoever fills this void is per-
forming a valuable service to education. Dr. Moore’s other translations in-
clude excerpts, in some instances entire works, from Bodin, Suarez, Botero,
Barclay, Molina and Victoria. The book under review certainly deserves
a place in any library where political theory is studied and taught.
CLAY P. MALICK.
University of Colorado.
Western Political Thought. BY JOHN BOWLE. (London: Jonathan Cape.
1947. Pp. 472. $5.00.)
The author of this work states in his premise: &dquo;The purpose of this
book is to describe the main evolution of political thought in its historical
context, and to analyze the texts of the most important writers.&dquo; He goes
on to note that most...