This absorbing look at political philosophy asks you to climb inside the heads of the major political philosophers. This lively and engaging book is appropriate for any student taking a course in political thought. Praise for the first edition: 'The author has an engaging style and succeeds in communicating his enthusiasm for the subject matter. Arguments are clearly presented and the discussion of them is well controlled.' - Andrew Mason, University of Southampton, UK'Understanding the Political Philosophers represents an engaging and yet challenging introduction to political philosophy....The author writes in a clear, unpretentious and interesting way about even quite difficult concepts and arguments. As a result, this work offers the teacher of political philosophy an effective text for courses combining discussion of classic and contemporary political ideas.' - David West, Australian National University'I know of no better text for introducing newcomers to the history of political philosophy.' - Craig Duncan, Ithaca University, USA 'It is my view that this book will be of interest to a very wide audience. Understanding the Political Philosophers would also make a fine companion to an introductory course in political philosophy.' - Essays in Philosophy 'When evaluating a book as a potential teaching resource, it is unusual to become so absorbed in the text as to find oneself reading it for pure intellectual pleasure. This is what happened when I read Alan Haworth's engaging book.... I would certainly recommend this as a first political philosophy book to any student - and, indeed, as a refreshingly unpretentious read for a wider audience.' - Times Higher Educational Supplement