In lecture one, Dr. Hicks explores the post-World War II political philosophy landscape, focusing on Ayn Rand's critique of collectivism and her defense of capitalism as the only moral social system based on individual rights. Together, we examine her argument that human rationality and individual agency are fundamental to human nature, and analyze Robert Nozick's "Tale of the Slave" thought experiment, which questions whether modern democratic systems still retain elements of slavery despite their liberal foundations.

In lecture two, we study John Rawls' influential theory of justice, focusing on his 1971 work "A Theory of Justice" and its key concepts. The lecture examines Rawls' transition from religious thought to secular philosophy, introducing his fundamental ideas, including the social contract, veil of ignorance, and difference principle. We analyze Rawls' view of fairness, equality, and distribution of resources in society, emphasizing his Kantian influences and his position within modern liberal political philosophy.

In lecture three, we place ourselves in 1989 at the fall of the Berlin Wall and its implications for political theory, particularly focusing on Francis Fukuyama's "End of History" thesis and the emergence of "Third Way" politics between capitalism and socialism. The lecture delves into James Buchanan's public choice economics, examining how political decisions in mixed economies are influenced by various phenomena such as pork barrel spending, logrolling, and regulatory capture, highlighting the systematic problems that arise when government and private interests become intertwined.