Political Illiberalism: A Defense of Freedom

ISBN-13: 9781412855747 / Angielski / Twarda / 2015 / 248 str.

Peter L. Simpson

Opis

Political Illiberalism deconstructs the story of liberalism that John Rawls, author of Political Liberalism, and many others have put forward. Peter L. P. Simpson argues that political liberalism is despotic because it denies politics a concern with the comprehensive human good and that political illiberalism overcomes this despotism and restores genuine freedom. This work provides a detailed account of these political phenomena and presents a political theory opposed to that of the proponents of modern liberalism. Simpson analyzes and confronts the assumptions of liberalism by challenging its view of liberty and its cornerstone concept that politics should not be about the comprehensive good. He presents the fundamentals of a truer liberalism derived from human nature, with particular attention to the role and power of religion based upon the political thoughts of Aristotle, the founding fathers of the United States, the thinkers of the Roman Empire, and contemporary examples. Political Illiberalism concludes with reflections on morality in the political context of the comprehensive good. Simpson views the modern state as despotically authoritarian; consequently, seeking liberty within it is illusory. On one hand, human politics requires the devolution of authority to local communities and a proper distinction between spiritual and temporal powers on the other. This thought-provoking work is essential for all political scientists and philosophy scholars.

Spis treści

1: Liberalism in Practice; 2: Historical Illustrations; 3: Liberalism in Theory; 4: First Principles of Illiberalism; 5: The Personalism of Illiberalism; 6: Political Principles of Illiberalism; 7: Justice and Political Forms — Aristotle versus Rawls; 8: Devolved versus Centralized Rule; 9: Temporal and Spiritual Empire; 10: Illiberal Morals

O autorze

Simpson, Peter L.P.