Richard Francis Tuck (born 1 January 1949) is a British academic, political theorist and historian of political thought. He taught at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

from 1973 to 1995. He then joined the faculty of

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, where he teaches as the Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government.

Views on Brexit and the European Union

In his opinion-article, "The Left Case for Brexit" published by the ''

Dissent Dissent is an opinion, philosophy or sentiment of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or policy enforced under the authority of a government, political party or other entity or individual. A dissenting person may be referred to as ...

'', Tuck maintains that "the left’s natural position should still be one of opposition to the EU," and that Brexit would open up political possibilities for the Left. In a 17 July, 2017 talk at the

Policy Exchange Policy Exchange is a British conservatism in the United Kingdom, conservative think tank based in London. In 2007 it was described in ''The Daily Telegraph'' as "the largest, but also the most influential think tank on the right". ''The Washing ...

entitled "Brexit: A Prize in Reach for the Left," Tuck advocates for a "genuine Brexit followed by a Labour government" that would both tactically "stall the movement towards independence in Scotland" and politically allow Britain to enact leftist policies, free from the "far-reaching restrictions which the EU imposes on traditional socialism." Tuck also co-authored a November 2017 "Brexit Proposal" with Dr. Christopher Bickerton of Cambridge University. Tuck favours historical international organisations such as the

International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...

(ILO) and domestic institutions such as the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

(NHS), which promote socialist goals without compromising democratic processes. In contrast, he cautions against European Union (EU)'s imposition of neo-liberal structures that meet right-wing goals. Tuck criticises the technocratic elite, and regards Brexit referendum as the expression of democratic sovereignty.

Books

*''Natural Rights Theories: Their Origin and Development''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979 *''Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989 *''Philosophy and Government 1572–1651''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993 *''Rights of War and Peace: Political Thought and the International Order from Grotius to Kant''. Oxford: University of Oxford Press, 1999 *''Free Riding''. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2008 *''The Sleeping Sovereign''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016

Interviews

* "Democratic Sovereignty and Brexit: A Conversation with Richard Tuck on Political Theory and Practice" ''International Critical Thought'' Volume 8, issue 4, 2018. * "Richard Tuck on Free Riding" ''Philosophy Bites'' podcast, Feb. 10. 2008.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuck, Richard 1949 births Living people Academics of the University of Cambridge Harvard University faculty British expatriate academics in the United States Fellows of the British Academy Historians of political thought