Democracy and Its Friendly Critics: Tocqueville and Political Life Today

by Patrick J. Deneen (Contribution by), Marc D. Guerra Assumption College (Contribution by), Ralph C. Hancock (Contribution by), Matthew S. Holland (Contribution by), Joseph M. Knippenberg Oglethorpe University (Contribution by)

Overview

In this edited collection, Peter Lawler presents a lucid and comprehensive introduction to a diverse set of political issues according to Tocqueville. Democracy and Its Friendly Critics addresses a variety of modern political and social concerns, such as the moral dimension of democracy, the theoretical challenges to democracy in our time, the religious dimension of liberty, and the meaning of work in contemporary American Life. Taking innovative and unexpected approaches toward familiar topics, the essays present engaging insights into a democratic society, and the contributors include some of today's leading figures in political philosophy. No other collection on Tocqueville addresses contemporary American political issues in such a direct and accessible fashion, making this book a valuable resource for the study of political theory in America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780739107621
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	08/01/2004
Series:	Applications of Political Theory
Pages:	204
Product dimensions:	6.96(w) x 8.96(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Peter Augustine Lawler is Dana Professor of Government at Berry College.

Table of Contents

1 What Tocqueville Says to Liberals and Conservatives Today
2 National Character and National Soul
3 Liberty, Equality, Nobility: Kolnai, Tocqueville, and the Moral Foundation of Democracy
4 Tocqueville on Pantheism, Materialism, and Catholicism
5 The Modern Revolution and the Collapse of Moral Analogy: Tocqueville and Guizot
6 Alexis de Tocqueville on the Incommensurability of America's Founding Principles
7 Citizenship as a Vocation
8 Compassionate Conservatism and Biotechnology: Some Tocquevillian Reflections
9 Religion and the Limits of Liberal Pluralism
10 Profiles in American Thomism
11 Christian Love and the Foundations of American Politics: Winthrop, Jefferson, and Lincoln
12 Democracy's Darkside? Robert Kraynak's Catholic Reflections on the Soul in the Liberal Democratic Dispensation
13 Machiavelli Meets the Mob: Palminteri'sA Bronx Tale

Editorial Reviews

Thirteen essays, presented by Lawler, frequently use the observations of de Tocqueville as a jumping off point for their reflections on such topics as religion and materialism, the moral foundations of democracy, citizenship as vocation, and other matters.

Reference and Research Book News

These “friendly critics of democracy” go beyond the classic to illuminate American culture and politics. Indeed, these superlative essayists are forced to become friendly critics of Tocqueville in order to complete their work, which culminates, in the most ambitious essays, in the articulation of the relationship between reason and revelation. Thus, the book is an invaluable reminder of the need to understand America as containing within herself the highest themes of political philosophy and hence as possibly the best regime.

Ken Masugi

Here in America, the land of sunny tolerance, it sometimes seems that the criticism of modern egalitarian democracy is the only truly unpardonable offense left -- a sin that is doubly heinous, since it combines the theological vice of heresy with the political vice of treason. But America deserves better than that, and the good health of democracy requires it. This stimulating and valuable collection gives fresh force to Tocqueville's great and enduring insight, that the liberal-democratic ethos can be at its best only when it is held in tension with the "friendly criticism" of other principles.--Wilfred M. McClay, University of Oklahoma

There are many ways to read Tocqueville, but the authors of the essays collected in this extraordinary volume read him in the best way -- as a partner in conversation about some of the most important issues confronting us today: democracy, America, and the fate of democracy in America.--Damon Linker, Editor, FIRST THINGS

These "friendly critics of democracy" go beyond the classic to illuminate American culture and politics. Indeed, these superlative essayists are forced to become friendly critics of Tocqueville in order to complete their work, which culminates, in the most ambitious essays, in the articulation of the relationship between reason and revelation. Thus, the book is an invaluable reminder of the need to understand America as containing within herself the highest themes of political philosophy and hence as possibly the best regime.--Ken Masugi, The Claremont Institute and editor

Thirteen essays, presented by Lawler, frequently use the observations of de Tocqueville as a jumping off point for their reflections on such topics as religion and materialism, the moral foundations of democracy, citizenship as vocation, and other matters.-- "Reference and Research Book News"

From the Publisher

There are many ways to read Tocqueville, but the authors of the essays collected in this extraordinary volume read him in the best way — as a partner in conversation about some of the most important issues confronting us today: democracy, America, and the fate of democracy in America.

Damon Linker

Here in America, the land of sunny tolerance, it sometimes seems that the criticism of modern egalitarian democracy is the only truly unpardonable offense left—a sin that is doubly heinous, since it combines the theological vice of heresy with the political vice of treason. But America deserves better than that, and the good health of democracy requires it. This stimulating and valuable collection gives fresh force to Tocqueville's great and enduring insight, that the liberal-democratic ethos can beat its best only when it is held in tension with the friendly criticism of other principles...

Wilfred M. McClay