In Search of a Political Philosophy: Ideologies at the Close of the Twentieth Century

by Stankiewicz,W. J.

• ISBN13: 9780415088749
• ISBN10: 0415088747
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1993-02-19
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In Search of a Political Philosophyis an analysis of the three democratic 'isms'--conservatism, liberalism, and socialism--and of the distinct nature of the all-consuming ideology of Marxist communism. W. J. Stankiewicz is concerned with the conscious and unconscious assumptions of the proponents and followers of each ideology, and those of their theoreticians and critics. Stankiewicz examines the norms by which political ideologies are characterized, and discusses which of these are given precedence. He provides an analysis of how each ideology views such issues as freedom and restraint, responsibility, equality, justice, power, authority, property, human nature and happiness. He also examines the areas of ideological contiguity and mutual influences, the sources of ideological incomprehension in our society, and the forces that split Western societies. In Search of a Political Philosophytakes issue with the positions of some of our leadingpolitical theorists and represents an original contribution to political philosophy in its own right. It makes a stimulating and challenging contribution to the areas of politics, political philosophy, ethics, political and social theory, the history of political thought, and the history of ideas.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Prudential Conservatism	p. 15
Norms and Relativism	p. 17
'Progress' and Change	p. 32
Freedom and Authority	p. 43
Prudence and Politics	p. 64
The Burkean Legacy	p. 76
The Nature of Government	p. 90
Empty Liberalism	p. 103
The Liberal Tradition	p. 105
The Liberal Mosaic	p. 122
Distributive Justice	p. 157
Equality of Opportunity: a Liberal Shibboleth	p. 176
Liberal Liberty and Liberal Rights	p. 187
Hedonistic Socialism	p. 205
What is Socialism?	p. 207
Socialism and Freedom	p. 222
Socialism and the Modern Welfare State	p. 241
Freedom in Democracy	p. 255
Marxist Impact on Socialism	p. 270
Return to Utopianism	p. 290
The Tyranny of Ideology	p. 307
The Illusion of the 'End of Ideology'	p. 309
Ideology as Power	p. 333
Facing the Soviet Ideo-System	p. 370
Sources of Western Incomprehension	p. 392
Conclusion	p. 403
Towards a Definition of Ideology	p. 405
Postscript	p. 420
Notes	p. 425
Bibliographical References	p. 441
Index	p. 445
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