Human beings live together in societies which‎,‎ by their very nature‎,‎ give rise to institutions governing the behavior and freedom of individuals‎.‎ This raises important questions about how these institutions ought to function‎,‎ and the extent to which actual systems of government succeed or fail in meeting these ideals‎.‎ This Oxford Reader contains 140 key writings on political thought‎,‎ covering issues about human nature and its relation to society‎,‎ the extent to which the powers of the State are justified‎,‎ the tension between liberty and rights‎,‎ and the way resources should be distributed‎.‎ Topics such as international relations‎,‎ minority rights‎,‎ democracy‎,‎ socialism‎,‎ and conservatism are also discussed by contributors ranging from Plato and Aristotle to Foucault‎,‎ Isaiah Berlin‎,‎ and Martin Luther King‎.‎