in 1956, the Afro-Trinidadian political theorist C. L. R. James published an essay entitled, “Every Cook Can Govern: A Study of Democracy in Ancient Greece and Its Meaning for Today.” We have read Plato and Aristotle, two ancient Greek philosophers who lived in democratic Athens but who, as James put it, “detested the system.” To what extent do you agree with James’s argument? To what extent do the contentions of Plato and Aristotle have merit? This is a challenging topic. You will need to understand James’s argument, be well versed in the works of Plato and Aristotle, and think creatively about how best to respond to these questions. You are encouraged to get an early start and to see me during office hours so that we can work together to develop an outstanding paper. Your paper must be typed and printed, single-spaced, and 12-point font. Please title your paper, number your pages, and cite all references. You MUST support your argument with textual evidence. More specifically, your paper must include at least five quotations taken directly from the assigned course readings; you will lose five points from your paper grade for each missing quotation under that five-quotation threshold (e.g., if you cite only three passages, you will lose 10 points; if you cite only two, you will lose 15, etc.). No single style guide predominates in political theory, so you may choose which one you’d like (Chicago, MLA, APA, etc.) – just be consistent. If you have questions about citations or references, please let me know. You should aim for about 2000 words, although it is up to you to determine an appropriate length. There is a danger in writing too much, just as there is a danger in writing too little; please see me if you have any questions about word count. All written work must be submitted electronically to the course Blackboard page. Late work will not be accepted. Extensions will not be granted, except under extreme circumstances, with at least 48 hours advance notice, with appropriate documentation, and in consultation with Student Services and your academic advisor. It is your responsibility to ensure that your work is properly uploaded to Blackboard. Please ensure that you do not submit a corrupted or unreadable file.