W32W Political and Economic Foundations of Capitalism and Socialism: The Moral Debate between Locke and Marx - Part 2 (Hybrid/In-Person)
In-Person | Registration opens 12/16/2025 10:00 AM EST
[NEW COURSE] [MULTI-PART SERIES] For Locke competitive economic acquisitiveness is the core of justice. For Marx the moral society is “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.” We will address the following questions: Are all human beings equal? Should a just government secure private property rights? Can liberal government combine individual freedom and political authority? Can Lockean government secure consent of the governed? By what right does the majority govern? Can the rule of law and separation of powers secure individual rights? Do economic interests determine history? Must capitalists exploit workers? Would socialism emancipate human beings? Would a socialist economy work? Can we have Marx without Stalin? Can socialism be democratic? Participation in Part 1 of this course is not a prerequisite. Discussion, Lecture
Walt Soffer
Walt Soffer, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of Philosophy at SUNY Geneseo and recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. His teaching and publications have been principally in the areas of ancient philosophy, modern philosophy, phenomenology and existentialism, history of political philosophy, philosophy of religion, interdisciplinary humanities, and ethics.