Description
Book SynopsisThis insightful book sheds light on three competing ideological windows on the world: conservatism, liberalism and socialism. David Reisman explores the importance of these perspectives not only to generating public policy, but also in our capacity to explain the very nature of reality.
Surveying the diversity of beliefs that govern and guide contemporary society, Reisman illustrates the pre-eminence of three all-encompassing meta-ideologies that capture heterogenous philosophies. The book traces the history of these meta-ideologies through key figures and moments in their development, illuminating the paradox at the heart of political beings: the conceptual wedding of independence and integration. Refusing a partisan perspective, Reisman argues in favour of a tolerant vision of society that promotes understanding as an avenue by which to achieve the peaceable coexistence of plurality and diversity.
Offering a clear, intellectual and unbiased presentation of contemporary political philosophy, this book is crucial reading for researchers and students of social and political thought, particularly those focusing on ideology and the history of philosophy.
Table of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction 2. The common mind 3. Conservatism 4. Rousseau: the general will 5. Burke: the chain of being 6. The whole and the part 7. The liberal way 8. Being free 9. Self and state: Hobbes 10. Nature and law: Locke 11. Hobbes and Locke: politics and economics 12. Liberalism gone wrong 13. Socialism 14. The socialist future 15. The end of ideology Bibliography Index
