'… this is a novel, intelligent, and important book.' M. Blitz, Choice
Preface and acknowledgments; Introduction; Part I. Foundations of Friendship: 1. Friendship from identity: recognizing anger in the politics of recognition; 2. Friendships from utility and activity: toward a more realistic social policy (and more idealistic civil society); Part II. Where is Civic Friendship Today?: 3. How associations replaced civic friendships: why altruism conspires with self-interest to produce the 'free rider'; 4. Why associations are really civic friendships: finding the balance between associations and the state; Part III. A Different Way to View Liberalism: 5. From communitarianism to civic friendship: broadening out beyond associations; 6. Commercial society and civic friendship: property and liberty are preconditions of friendship; 7. Mass society and civic friendship: the basic agreement that citizens cherish; Part IV. Conclusion: 8. What is the use of civic friendship: sheltering liberal practices from the effects of liberal theory; List of works cited; Index.