Assignment - Analytical Essay
Topic: This paper will aspects of Renaissance Political Philosophy and will be based on readings from textbook (Stacey and Coffin, pp. 294-295, 313-319, 325-327) and primary source reader (Perspectives from the Past, pp. 412-416, 420-425).
Your essay should address the following issues and questions.
- What are the main elements of Machiavelli's ideas?
- According to Machiavelli, what is the basis of political authority?
- What is Machiavelli's view on how power should be exercised by political rulers?
- What does Thomas More's Utopia ‘look' like?
- How do More's and Machiavelli's writings reflect the people and culture of the Renaissance?
- Compare and contrast the ideas presented by Machiavelli and More. How are they alike, if at all? How are they different?
- Whose ideas are more relevant for modern politics?
Format and Citation - You must use parenthetical citation for direct quotations. Formal citation (footnotes or endnotes and a bibliography) is not necessary unless you use outside resources to supplement your essay. You may use outside sources to augment your discussion if you wish, but it is not required. If you do, you should use the Chicago Manual of Style format. A condensed form of this can be found in Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Some tips for better writing:
- Do Not use contractions in formal writing
- Do Not use first-person or second-person (I, me, you, ‘my opinion' etc.)
- Avoid 1 or 2 sentence paragraphs
- Avoid long quotations for this length paper
Length: 900-1200 words - The paper should be typed, double-spaced and properly documented.