Sartre’s Political Theory

Sartre’s Political Theory presents the first detailed study of Jean-Paul Sartre’s political philosophy. Taking Sartre’s twin ideals of ＂Socialism and Freedom＂ as his guiding theme, William L. McBride traces the evolution of Sartre’s thinking about history, ethics, politics, and society from his early essays during World War II to the time of his death in 1980. McBride discusses in depth the main moments in the development of Sartre’s sociopolitical views, including Cahiers pour une morale, Critique of Dialectical Reason, and the new directions of Sartre’s thought during his last years. Sartre’s Political Theory is both a historical narrative, connecting Sartre’s ideas to the events of his times, and a trenchant philosophical analysis, posing fundamental questions about human society and history and about the appropriate focal points of political philosophy.

William L. McBride is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. His books include Fundamental Change in Law and Society: Hart and Sartre on Revolution, The Philosophy of Marx, and Social Theory at a Crossroads.