On Political Obligation

The lectures that comprise this book are a reminder of the legacy and a demonstration of the promise of a critical assessment and evaluation of political obligation. Shklar shows that the crucial questions that any political activist, any reflective citizen, and any existing or aspiring polity should raise are as pertinent today as they were in the past, despite their function and nature having changed over time. The book discusses the practical choices, dilemmas, compromises, risks, and dangers that are the result of the tensions that arise whenever the notions of obligation and loyalty are foregrounded, and when what it means to be a citizen and the aims of a given polity are in conflict. What can I/we do in such a situation? How should I/we act? Shklar takes us through several historical constellations and scenarios in which such questions have arisen and been answered—for better or for worse.