Leibniz's political and ethical writing long has been neglected, and with this new edition Professor Riley makes available the most representative pieces from Leibniz's political theory. This new edition, specially prepared for this series, is the first to make a considerable number of Leibniz's writings available in English.

In a detailed but accessible introduction, Patrick Riley outlines the fundamental themes in Leibniz's work, particularly his concepts of justice and social responsibility, and assesses the important differences between Leibniz and his English contemporaries Hobbes and Locke.