Past Present Future What’s Wrong with Political Philosophy? Learning from Bernard Williams and Judith Shklar
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Feb 11, 2026 
Paul Sagar, political theorist and writer who studies thinkers like Bernard Williams and Judith Shklar. He probes whether politics should prioritize legitimacy, order and preventing the worst over ideal justice. He explores how persuasion, propaganda and context shape legitimate rule. He also outlines Shklar’s case that minimizing cruelty is central to liberalism.
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Start With Order, Not Justice
- Bernard Williams argued the first political question is securing order, safety, and trust before debating justice.
- Politics begins when rulers offer reasons beyond force to justify exercising power over others.
Legitimacy Depends On Shared Frames
- Williams rejects starting political theory from abstract justice because legitimacy rests on shared frames that persuade people.
- Claims of justice must be pitched to the audience's beliefs and psychology to secure assent.
How Power's Means Undermine Its Claim
- Might alone doesn't legitimize power; some acquisition methods (propaganda, drugs) invalidate consent.
- Philosophy must judge whether means of securing assent themselves delegitimate power.
