What An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice is about
An expansive argument about justice, public power and the limits of government. William Godwin wrote it in 1793. It sits in the politics shelf of the library.
The edition you read
The original text is the William Godwin, 1793, a public domain edition. The text is complete and keeps its own chapter structure, so every reading points back to the same place in the book.
Where to start
The book opens with these readings, in order. The first one is free in the app.
- Chap. i.: introduction
- Chap. ii.: history of political society
- Chap. iii.: the moral characters of men originate in their perceptions
- Chap. iv.: three principal causes of moral improvement considered
How the readings are split
The 109 readings follow the book's own divisions, grouped into 7 parts. Each reading is a sitting of a few minutes, and the reader remembers the paragraph where you stopped.
Reading it in plain English
Every reading has a plain English draft written paragraph by paragraph, and a short guide with context, an explanation, takeaways and a question to think about. The drafts are labeled Unreviewed plain English draft. Drafts, guides and the readings after the first one need Athenaeum Membership.
Questions about An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice
Is An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice free to read?
The William Godwin, 1793 is in the public domain. In Athenaeum the first of its 109 readings is free, and Athenaeum Membership opens the rest.
How long is An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice?
Athenaeum splits it into 109 readings. Short books take a week of evenings, and long ones work best a reading or two at a time.
Read An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice in Athenaeum
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