PROBLEMS OF POLITICAL THEORY 327 



often influenced political action most profoundly. The works of 

 Aristotle have again and again become not merely the subjects of 

 study for those interested in Greek literature, but for those engaged 

 in political affairs. They have been used as the sources of arguments 

 for determining practical political action. Eginhard in his Life of 

 Charles the Great states that the great ruler delighted in the works 

 of St. Augustine, especially in De Civitate Dei. 1 The influence of the 

 works of Grotius upon the political policy of his contemporary 

 Gustavus Adolphus is evident. In some of its aspects the French 

 Revolution was a crude attempt to work out what was thought to 

 be a correct political theory. The influence of the same theories is 

 evident in the enunciation of some of the fundamental principles 

 upon which the United States Government was founded. The debates 

 upon the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, the Fed- 

 eralist Papers, and the writings of other of the early political leaders 

 in the United States show the influence of the understanding of 

 political theory. The political movements of the first half of the 

 nineteenth century in Europe show how the theory that a nation- 

 ality had a right to embodiment in a political unity influenced 

 practical politics. Theories as to what a state might do in the \vay 

 of determining economic prosperity have been the basis of many 

 political party struggles, and claims based upon lack of understand- 

 ing of political theories have led to the downfall of " practical poli- 

 ticians " and political parties. 



Those widely versed in political theory have also often been 

 leaders in the political activities of their times. This has been par- 

 ticularly true in Germany, and some of the great development of 

 that state can be traced to a recognition of the worth of political 

 theory as a guide for practical action. Where political studies have 

 received the most careful attention and most rational consideration, 

 there the political action has been in general most consistently pro- 

 gressive. 



It is as reasonable to believe that practical political affairs may be 

 more properly understood and directed when the theories under- 

 lying political action are comprehended, as it is reasonable to expect 

 similar treatment of affairs in other lines of human activity when 

 the underlying theories are understood. 



It would seem, then, that political theory has in the past strongly 

 influenced human activity, that men who have led in political affairs 

 have often been guided by political theories, and that in itself polit- 

 ical theory would have the same reasons for its existence as the 

 theory of other studies dealing with human activities. If political 

 theory can lead to action so disastrous to human well-being as has 



1 " Dclectabatur et libris sancti Augustini, praecipueque his qui De Civitate Dei 

 praetitulati sunt." Eginhard, Vita Karoli, cap. 24. 



