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Guide: Political Philosophy  Foundations Study Guide: Political
Philosophy  By Fred Miller  Fred Miller is professor of
philosophy and executive director of the Social Philosophy and
Policy Center at Bowling Green State University.  Political
Philosophy or politics, is the branch of philosophy that
investigates the principles of a proper social system. In
general, it studies the nature of human communities, in order to
evaluate their aims and modes of cooperation. In particular, it
is concerned with government or the state, i.e., the institution
that possesses the exclusive power to enforce rules of conduct
in a particular geographical area. The central issues of
political philosophy may be divided into the following five
areas:  -What is the relationship between the individual and
society?  -Can the existence of government or the state be
justified?  -What abstract principles should guide