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Modern societies currently lack positive alternative visions of the future. Many writers have claimed that the only option is a return to free-market capitalism, in which success and survival depend on being as competitive as possible whether as a nation, firm or individual.; Paul Hirst argues that there are viable alternative futures and widely applicable models that can be used to structure change. Hirst's distinctive approach to political theory reasons from real political problems rather than confining itself to abstract concepts.; Presenting an innovative political position, this collection.

First published in 1976, this book is concerned with the nature of classification in the social sciences. Its thesis is that classifications are dependent upon and are derived from theoretical explanations. Classification is not a theoretically neutral typification or ordering of social forms. This is because objects classified - societies, social institutions - are not given to knowledge independently of the categories which construct them and because the categories of classification are themselves the products of theories

Future developments in war, armed conflict and international relations are central to our collective fate in this century. This book looks forward by considering the forces that will drive changes in military organizations, sources of conflict, the power of states and the nature of the international system. New military technologies will alter how wars are fought and will influence the balance of power. Changes in the global environment will provide new causes of conflict and will change economic priorities. As a result, the state will survive as the key social institution and populations will.

Advocates "associative democracy" as an alternative to traditional ideologies of the Left and Right. Far from being a utopian idea, Hirst suggests, "associative democracy" offers new forms of economic and social governance as supplements to representative democracy and market economies.

English political pluralism is of particular relevance today because it offers an important critique of centralized sovereign state power. The Pluralist Theory of the State is the first collection of the major works of the leading theorists of this school of thought--G.D.H. Cole, J.N. Figgis and H. Laski. Paul Q. Hirst provides a crisp and informative introduction which situates the texts in the appropriate intellectual and political contexts and explains the debate surrounding them. This comprehensive introduction situates English political pluralism in a historical context and gives a cri.