This book is intended to convey a sense of the diversity and richness of German political thought in the twentieth century and to introduce English-speaking readers to a wider range of German political theorists than they are likely to find in other volumes. It makes no claim to be comprehensive, and eminent figures whom some readers might expect to find have been neglected. In a work of this size and range, that is inevitable. The omission of political thought in the German Democratic Republic might seem more surprising. However, the political thought of that part of Germany, while interesting in its own right, has had limited impact upon the understanding of the development of German political thought. Nor did the Democratic Republic present the same conceptual challenge as the Third Reich.

I am grateful to the School of Government and International Affairs at the University of Durham for research leave that enabled me to complete this book.