Virtue and Irony in American Democracy

Virtue and Irony in American Democracy

Author: Daniel A. Morris

Publisher: Lexington Books

Published: 2015-07-01

Total Pages: 269

ISBN-13: 1498500757

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What virtues are necessary for democracy to succeed? This book turns to John Dewey and Reinhold Niebuhr, two of America’s most influential theorists of democracy, to answer this question. Dewey and Niebuhr both implied—although for very different reasons—that humility and mutuality are important virtues for the success of people rule. Not only do these virtues allow people to participate well in their own governance, they also equip us to meet challenges to democracy generated by free-market economic policy and practices. Ironically, though, Dewey and Niebuhr quarreled with each other for twenty years and missed the opportunity to achieve political consensus. In their discourse with each other they failed to become “one out of many,” a task that is distilled in the democratic rallying cry “e pluribus unum.” This failure itself reflects a deficiency in democratic virtue. Thus, exploring the Dewey/Niebuhr debate with attention to their discursive failures reveals the importance of a third virtue: democratic tolerance. If democracy is to succeed, we must cultivate a deeper hospitality toward difference than Dewey and Niebuhr were able to extend to each other.


Book Synopsis Virtue and Irony in American Democracy by : Daniel A. Morris

Download or read book Virtue and Irony in American Democracy written by Daniel A. Morris and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2015-07-01 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What virtues are necessary for democracy to succeed? This book turns to John Dewey and Reinhold Niebuhr, two of America’s most influential theorists of democracy, to answer this question. Dewey and Niebuhr both implied—although for very different reasons—that humility and mutuality are important virtues for the success of people rule. Not only do these virtues allow people to participate well in their own governance, they also equip us to meet challenges to democracy generated by free-market economic policy and practices. Ironically, though, Dewey and Niebuhr quarreled with each other for twenty years and missed the opportunity to achieve political consensus. In their discourse with each other they failed to become “one out of many,” a task that is distilled in the democratic rallying cry “e pluribus unum.” This failure itself reflects a deficiency in democratic virtue. Thus, exploring the Dewey/Niebuhr debate with attention to their discursive failures reveals the importance of a third virtue: democratic tolerance. If democracy is to succeed, we must cultivate a deeper hospitality toward difference than Dewey and Niebuhr were able to extend to each other.

The Irony of American History

The Irony of American History

Author: Reinhold Niebuhr

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2010-01-22

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 0226583996

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“[Niebuhr] is one of my favorite philosophers. I take away [from his works] the compelling idea that there’s serious evil in the world, and hardship and pain. And we should be humble and modest in our belief we can eliminate those things. But we shouldn’t use that as an excuse for cynicism and inaction. I take away . . . the sense we have to make these efforts knowing they are hard.”—President Barack Obama Forged during the tumultuous but triumphant postwar years when America came of age as a world power, The Irony of American History is more relevant now than ever before. Cited by politicians as diverse as Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Niebuhr’s masterpiece on the incongruity between personal ideals and political reality is both an indictment of American moral complacency and a warning against the arrogance of virtue. Impassioned, eloquent, and deeply perceptive, Niebuhr’s wisdom will cause readers to rethink their assumptions about right and wrong, war and peace. “The supreme American theologian of the twentieth century.”—Arthur Schlesinger Jr., New York Times “Niebuhr is important for the left today precisely because he warned about America’s tendency—including the left’s tendency—to do bad things in the name of idealism. His thought offers a much better understanding of where the Bush administration went wrong in Iraq.”—Kevin Mattson, The Good Society “Irony provides the master key to understanding the myths and delusions that underpin American statecraft. . . . The most important book ever written on US foreign policy.”—Andrew J. Bacevich, from the Introduction


Book Synopsis The Irony of American History by : Reinhold Niebuhr

Download or read book The Irony of American History written by Reinhold Niebuhr and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2010-01-22 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “[Niebuhr] is one of my favorite philosophers. I take away [from his works] the compelling idea that there’s serious evil in the world, and hardship and pain. And we should be humble and modest in our belief we can eliminate those things. But we shouldn’t use that as an excuse for cynicism and inaction. I take away . . . the sense we have to make these efforts knowing they are hard.”—President Barack Obama Forged during the tumultuous but triumphant postwar years when America came of age as a world power, The Irony of American History is more relevant now than ever before. Cited by politicians as diverse as Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Niebuhr’s masterpiece on the incongruity between personal ideals and political reality is both an indictment of American moral complacency and a warning against the arrogance of virtue. Impassioned, eloquent, and deeply perceptive, Niebuhr’s wisdom will cause readers to rethink their assumptions about right and wrong, war and peace. “The supreme American theologian of the twentieth century.”—Arthur Schlesinger Jr., New York Times “Niebuhr is important for the left today precisely because he warned about America’s tendency—including the left’s tendency—to do bad things in the name of idealism. His thought offers a much better understanding of where the Bush administration went wrong in Iraq.”—Kevin Mattson, The Good Society “Irony provides the master key to understanding the myths and delusions that underpin American statecraft. . . . The most important book ever written on US foreign policy.”—Andrew J. Bacevich, from the Introduction

The Irony Of Virtue

The Irony Of Virtue

Author: Ernest Lefever

Publisher: Westview Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 318

ISBN-13:

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They reveal his dramatic transformation from a liberal pacifist during World War II to a human realist.


Book Synopsis The Irony Of Virtue by : Ernest Lefever

Download or read book The Irony Of Virtue written by Ernest Lefever and published by Westview Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: They reveal his dramatic transformation from a liberal pacifist during World War II to a human realist.

The Irony of Democracy

The Irony of Democracy

Author: Thomas R. Dye

Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing Company

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 530

ISBN-13: 9780155058002

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After 30 years in print, THE IRONY OF DEMOCRACY still offers the freshest, most eye-opening approach to American government of any text. In this millennial edition, the authors again present an unrepentant elitist approach to American democracy, contending that it is the elites, not the masses, that govern our country.


Book Synopsis The Irony of Democracy by : Thomas R. Dye

Download or read book The Irony of Democracy written by Thomas R. Dye and published by Wadsworth Publishing Company. This book was released on 1999 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After 30 years in print, THE IRONY OF DEMOCRACY still offers the freshest, most eye-opening approach to American government of any text. In this millennial edition, the authors again present an unrepentant elitist approach to American democracy, contending that it is the elites, not the masses, that govern our country.

A Virtue for Courageous Minds

A Virtue for Courageous Minds

Author: Aurelian Craiutu

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2016-05-31

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 0691171343

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Political moderation is the touchstone of democracy, which could not function without compromise and bargaining, yet it is one of the most understudied concepts in political theory. How can we explain this striking paradox? Why do we often underestimate the virtue of moderation? Seeking to answer these questions, A Virtue for Courageous Minds examines moderation in modern French political thought and sheds light on the French Revolution and its legacy. Aurelian Craiutu begins with classical thinkers who extolled the virtues of a moderate approach to politics, such as Aristotle and Cicero. He then shows how Montesquieu inaugurated the modern rebirth of this tradition by laying the intellectual foundations for moderate government. Craiutu looks at important figures such as Jacques Necker, Madame de Staël, and Benjamin Constant, not only in the context of revolutionary France but throughout Europe. He traces how moderation evolves from an individual moral virtue into a set of institutional arrangements calculated to protect individual liberty, and he explores the deep affinity between political moderation and constitutional complexity. Craiutu demonstrates how moderation navigates between political extremes, and he challenges the common notion that moderation is an essentially conservative virtue, stressing instead its eclectic nature. Drawing on a broad range of writings in political theory, the history of political thought, philosophy, and law, A Virtue for Courageous Minds reveals how the virtue of political moderation can address the profound complexities of the world today.


Book Synopsis A Virtue for Courageous Minds by : Aurelian Craiutu

Download or read book A Virtue for Courageous Minds written by Aurelian Craiutu and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2016-05-31 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Political moderation is the touchstone of democracy, which could not function without compromise and bargaining, yet it is one of the most understudied concepts in political theory. How can we explain this striking paradox? Why do we often underestimate the virtue of moderation? Seeking to answer these questions, A Virtue for Courageous Minds examines moderation in modern French political thought and sheds light on the French Revolution and its legacy. Aurelian Craiutu begins with classical thinkers who extolled the virtues of a moderate approach to politics, such as Aristotle and Cicero. He then shows how Montesquieu inaugurated the modern rebirth of this tradition by laying the intellectual foundations for moderate government. Craiutu looks at important figures such as Jacques Necker, Madame de Staël, and Benjamin Constant, not only in the context of revolutionary France but throughout Europe. He traces how moderation evolves from an individual moral virtue into a set of institutional arrangements calculated to protect individual liberty, and he explores the deep affinity between political moderation and constitutional complexity. Craiutu demonstrates how moderation navigates between political extremes, and he challenges the common notion that moderation is an essentially conservative virtue, stressing instead its eclectic nature. Drawing on a broad range of writings in political theory, the history of political thought, philosophy, and law, A Virtue for Courageous Minds reveals how the virtue of political moderation can address the profound complexities of the world today.

Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic

Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic

Author: Reinhold Niebuhr

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Published: 2021-04-20

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 1646982002

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Renowned theologian Reinhold Niebuhr began his career as pastor of Bethel Evangelical Church in Detroit, Michigan, where he served from 1915–1928. Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic is Niebuhr's account of the frustrations and joys he experienced during his years at Bethel. Addressed to young ministers, this book provides reflections and insights for those engaged in the challenging yet infinitely rewarding occupation of pastoral ministry. With a foreword from Jonathan Walton on Niebuhr's enduring insights into the challenges and relevance of pastoral ministry, this powerful book remains as useful today as it was last century.


Book Synopsis Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic by : Reinhold Niebuhr

Download or read book Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic written by Reinhold Niebuhr and published by Westminster John Knox Press. This book was released on 2021-04-20 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Renowned theologian Reinhold Niebuhr began his career as pastor of Bethel Evangelical Church in Detroit, Michigan, where he served from 1915–1928. Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic is Niebuhr's account of the frustrations and joys he experienced during his years at Bethel. Addressed to young ministers, this book provides reflections and insights for those engaged in the challenging yet infinitely rewarding occupation of pastoral ministry. With a foreword from Jonathan Walton on Niebuhr's enduring insights into the challenges and relevance of pastoral ministry, this powerful book remains as useful today as it was last century.

Fighting for Liberty and Virtue

Fighting for Liberty and Virtue

Author: Marvin N. Olasky

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13:

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New insights into the interplay of American politics, religion, sex, and revolution in the 18th century.


Book Synopsis Fighting for Liberty and Virtue by : Marvin N. Olasky

Download or read book Fighting for Liberty and Virtue written by Marvin N. Olasky and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New insights into the interplay of American politics, religion, sex, and revolution in the 18th century.

The Oxford Handbook of Reinhold Niebuhr

The Oxford Handbook of Reinhold Niebuhr

Author: Robin Lovin

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2021-03-03

Total Pages: 666

ISBN-13: 0198813562

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This authoritative Handbook features 38 chapters placing Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) in his historical context to offer readers an appreciation of his insights and how he was received by his contemporaries.


Book Synopsis The Oxford Handbook of Reinhold Niebuhr by : Robin Lovin

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Reinhold Niebuhr written by Robin Lovin and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2021-03-03 with total page 666 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This authoritative Handbook features 38 chapters placing Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) in his historical context to offer readers an appreciation of his insights and how he was received by his contemporaries.

The End of American History

The End of American History

Author: David W. Noble

Publisher: U of Minnesota Press

Published:

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 9781452902005

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Using the work of four major historians, Noble focuses on the dramatic change in historical structure and meaning that came with the collapse of the progressive paradigm and its guiding metaphor of exodus from the Old World to the New World.


Book Synopsis The End of American History by : David W. Noble

Download or read book The End of American History written by David W. Noble and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the work of four major historians, Noble focuses on the dramatic change in historical structure and meaning that came with the collapse of the progressive paradigm and its guiding metaphor of exodus from the Old World to the New World.

Defending Rorty

Defending Rorty

Author: William M. Curtis

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2015-08-14

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 1316352587

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Liberal democracy needs a clear-eyed, robust defense to deal with the increasingly complex challenges it faces in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately much of contemporary liberal theory has rejected this endeavor for fear of appearing culturally hegemonic. Instead, liberal theorists have sought to gut liberalism of its ethical substance in order to render it more tolerant of non-liberal ways of life. This theoretical effort is misguided, however, because successful liberal democracy is an ethically demanding political regime that requires its citizenry to display certain virtues and habits of mind. Against the grain of contemporary theory, philosopher Richard Rorty blends American pragmatism and romanticism to produce a comprehensive vision of liberal modernity that features a virtue-based conception of liberal democracy. In doing so, Rorty defends his pragmatic liberalism against a host of notable interlocutors, including Charles Taylor, Nancy Fraser, Hilary Putnam, Richard J. Bernstein, and Jean Bethke Elshtain.


Book Synopsis Defending Rorty by : William M. Curtis

Download or read book Defending Rorty written by William M. Curtis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-08-14 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Liberal democracy needs a clear-eyed, robust defense to deal with the increasingly complex challenges it faces in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately much of contemporary liberal theory has rejected this endeavor for fear of appearing culturally hegemonic. Instead, liberal theorists have sought to gut liberalism of its ethical substance in order to render it more tolerant of non-liberal ways of life. This theoretical effort is misguided, however, because successful liberal democracy is an ethically demanding political regime that requires its citizenry to display certain virtues and habits of mind. Against the grain of contemporary theory, philosopher Richard Rorty blends American pragmatism and romanticism to produce a comprehensive vision of liberal modernity that features a virtue-based conception of liberal democracy. In doing so, Rorty defends his pragmatic liberalism against a host of notable interlocutors, including Charles Taylor, Nancy Fraser, Hilary Putnam, Richard J. Bernstein, and Jean Bethke Elshtain.