The notion of authority - Alexandre Kojeve

In The Notion of Authority, written in the1940s in Nazi-occupied France, Alexandre
Kojve uncovers the conceptual premisesof four primary models of authority,examining the practical application of theirderivative variations from the Enlightenment
to Vichy France.

This foundational text, translated here intoEnglish for the first time, is the missing piece
in any discussion of sovereignty and politicalauthority, worthy of a place alongside the
work of Weber, Arendt, Schmitt, Agambenor Dumzil.

The Notion of Authority is a short andsophisticated introduction to Kojve'sphilosophy of right. It captures its author'sintellectual interests at a time when he wasretiring from the career of a professionalphilosopher and was about to become oneof the pioneers of the Common Market and
the idea of the European Union.