Many contemporary political thinkers are gripped by the belief that their taskis to develop an ideal theory of rights or justice for guiding and judgingpolitica... » 

Many contemporary political thinkers are gripped by the belief that their taskis to develop an ideal theory of rights or justice for guiding and judgingpolitical actions. But in Philosophy and Real Politics Raymond Geuss arguesthat philosophers should first try to understand why real political actorsbehave as they actually do. Far from being applied ethics politics is a skillthat allows people to survive and pursue their goals. To understand politics isto understand the powers motives and concepts that people have and that shapehow they deal with the problems they face in their particular historicalsituations. Philosophy and Real Politics both outlines a historicallyoriented realistic political philosophy and criticizes liberal politicalphilosophies based on abstract conceptions of rights and justice. The book is atrenchant critique of established ways of thought and a provocative call forchange. «