Democracy and Its Friendly Critics: Tocqueville and Political Life TodayPeter Augustine Lawler 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. |
Contents
What Tocqueville Says to Liberals and Conservatives Today | 1 |
National Character and National Soul | 7 |
Liberty Equality Nobility Kolnai Tocqueville and the Moral Foundations of Democracy | 17 |
Tocqueville on Pantheism Materialism and Catholicism | 31 |
The Modern Revolution and the Collapse of Moral Analogy Tocqueville and Guizot | 49 |
Alexis de Tocqueville on the Incommensurability of Americas Founding Principles | 59 |
Citizenship as a Vocation | 77 |
Compassionate Conservatism and Biotechnology Some Tocquevillian Reflections | 93 |
Religion and the Limits of Liberal Pluralism | 111 |
Profiles in American Thomism | 125 |
Christian Love and the Foundations of American Politics Winthrop Jefferson and Lincoln | 137 |
Democracys Darksides? Robert Kraynaks Catholic Reflections on the Soul in the Liberal Democratic Dispensation | 155 |
Machiavelli Meets the Mob Palminteris A Bronx Tale | 177 |
| 185 | |
About the Contributors | 189 |
Other editions - View all
Democracy and Its Friendly Critics: Tocqueville and Political Life Today Peter Augustine Lawler No preview available - 2004 |
Democracy and Its Friendly Critics: Tocqueville and Political Life Today Peter Augustine Lawler No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
affirm Alexis de Tocqueville Aliens in America American Political argues aristocratic Aurel Kolnai authority become believe biotechnology called Carter Catholic Catholicism character charity Christian Church citizens civic civilization claims common compassion conservatives contemporary culture death Democracy in America democratic distinction doctrine equality faith fundamental Galston George God's Guizot happiness Harvey Mansfield human liberty human nature idea individual intellectual Jefferson justice Kolnai Kraynak liberal democracy Liberal Pluralism libertarian limits Lincoln live Lorenzo Macedo Machiavellianism materialism materialistic Mickey Mantle mind modern moral nation natural law nobility one's pantheism Pascal Peter Augustine Peter Augustine Lawler philosophical Pierre Manent political science political thought principles privilege progress Puritan pursuit radical reason regime religion religious restless Revolution secular self-interest sense social society Socrates Sonny Sonny's soul spiritual teaching theoretical thinkers Thomistic Tocqueville's tradition transcendent true truth understanding University Press virtue vocation York