The contributions to this volume discuss Leibniz´ political thinking in the context of his writings. They provide insight into the legacy of this versatile thinker. The political writings of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz are concerned with the shape of Germany and Europe from a global perspective. The contributors to this volume use the historical context of his writings to present an independent profile of the "political" side of this great thinker on the threshold to the Enlightenment. They highlight his extremely diverse legacy, with thoughts on the how state and society would be structured in the future, on the advancement of science and on future lifestyles, and particularly on how different peoples and cultures could live side by side.

Dr. phil. Friedrich Beiderbeck ist als Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter bei der Berlin-Brandenburgischen Akademie der Wissenschaften tätig. Prof. Dr. phil. habil. theol. Irene Dingel ist Direktorin des Leibniz-Instituts für Europäische Geschichte. Prof. Dr. phil. Wenchao Li ist Inhaber der Leibniz-Stiftungsprofessur an der Universität Hannover.

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz' political scriptures are concerned with the shape of Germany and Europe in a global point of view. The contributors examine the "political" profile of him in context to the evolutionary history of this intellectual heritage by describing his ideas of the configuration of politics, society and science.>