Princeton UP Ideas Podcast Philip Pettit, "The State" (Princeton UP, 2023)
Dec 1, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Philip Pettit, a renowned political philosopher and author, delves into the foundations of statehood and justice. He explores the concept of neo-Republican freedom and how it shapes the state's relationship with its citizens. Pettit emphasizes the importance of democratic control and legitimacy, articulating a balance between sovereignty and necessary checks to prevent domination. He also critiques corporate personhood and advocates for frameworks like parliamentary systems that prioritize transparency and citizen engagement.
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Hobbes On Function Over Justice
- Hobbes focused on creating a functional state that secures order via a sovereign center rather than on justice.
- Pettit contrasts that functional focus with later thinkers who move from functionality to ideal theories of justice.
A Genealogy Of State Emergence
- Pettit offers a genealogy: states emerge to establish and enforce law so people know where they stand.
- A functional state makes law coercive and territorial to prevent evasion and secure order.
Sovereignty Plus Checks And Balances
- Pettit defends both a sovereign center and robust checks and balances as functionally necessary.
- Sovereignty prevents rogue breakaways; checks prevent capture by those who would dominate.