The Dark Side of Liberalism: Elitism vs. Democracy

by Robert Hollinger

Overview

This interdisciplinary study on liberalism explores the history of liberal thought in philosophy, the social sciences, cultural theory, and American political theory. The discussion focuses on an internal conflict between cultural and political values that favor political elitism and doctrines that favor some form of political democracy. Telling the story of the liberal elite and its ambivalent relationship to democracy, Hollingers show why the decline of liberalism does not pave the way for democratic participation. Addressing the current political and cultural climate, Hollinger outlines a postmodern view of democracy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275953348
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/23/1996
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

ROBERT HOLLINGER is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Iowa State University./e He is author of Postmodernism and the Social Sciences: A Thematic Approach and coeditor, with David Depew, of Pragmatism: From Progressivism to Postmodernism (Praeger, 1994).

Table of Contents

Introduction: Liberalism, Democracy, and Elitism
A Note on Democracy and "Mob Rule"
Chapters In The History of Modern Liberalism
Liberalism and Philosophy
Liberalism and the Social Sciences: Weber and Durkheim
American Liberalism: Durkheimian Trends
American Liberalism: Weberian Trends
Recent Development in Liberalism
Rorty's Pragmatic Liberslism: Between Miller and Weber
Liberalism and Participatory Democracy
Liberal Themes
Liberalism and Elitism in Perspective
Liberalism, Science, and Society
Liberalism, Culture, and Education
Current Developments
On Liberalism, Democracy, and Elitism Today
On Democracy, Culture, and Education Today
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Outlines the history of modern liberal elitism in philosophy, the social sciences, and 20th-century American society up to the liberalism of Rorty and the postmodernists, then focuses on thematic issues including liberalism and knowledge, and liberalism, culture, and education. Offers an impressionistic sketch of liberalism, democracy, elitism, and populism in the US today, discussing higher education, culture wars, and the danger to democratic education. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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