From Ideologies to Public Philosophies

From Ideologies to Public Philosophies: An Introduction to Political Theory provides a comprehensive and systematic account of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th centuries—along with contemporary and emerging outlooks—to address the essential questions of political theory. Explores the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th centuries while making clear distinctions for the reader between often-confused interpretations of ideologies Engaging 'reader friendly' style will appeal to students and facilitate sophisticated discussions Develops and defends pluralism as a broad public policy that is accepted by diverse political groups Supported by a glossary of terms, suggestions for further reading, and other helpful student and instructor resources at www.blackwellpublishing.com/schumaker

Table of Contents:
Preface xii 1 Constructing Our Public Philosophies 1 Public Philosophies and Political Ideologies 1 Political Theory 3 Searching for an Underlying Consensus Within Pluralism 13 Ideas Beyond the Underlying Consensus of Pluralism 15 Conclusions 20 Part I Participants in our Political Conversations 23 2 Voices from the Major Ideologies of the Nineteenth Century 27 Classical Liberalism: Building Democratic Capitalism 27 Traditional Conservatism: Defending the Old Social Order 31 Anarchism: Rebelling Against Authority 37 Marxism: Pursuing a Classless Society 39 Conclusions 42 3 Prominent Totalitarian and Pluralist Voices of the Twentieth Century 46 Communism: Fighting Imperialism in Developing Societies 47 Fascism and Nazism: Totalitarian Control to Strengthen the Collective 52 Contemporary Liberalism: Reforming Capitalism and Democracy 56 Contemporary Conservatism: Opposing Liberal and Socialist Programs 63 Conclusions 70 4 Radical and Extreme Voices in Contemporary Politics 74 The Radical Left: Seeking More Egalitarian and Communal Societies 77 The Radical Right: Seeking More Economic Freedom or Moral Consensus 85 The Extreme Right: Returning to More Homogeneous Societies 91 The Extreme Left: Deconstructing Global Neoliberalism 93 Conclusions 96 Part II Philosophical Assumptions: Their Importance as Foundations for Political Principles 101 5 Questions of Ontology 107 Traditional Conservatives: Emphasizing the “Great Chain of Being” 109 Classical Liberals: Deism, Naturalism, and Materialism 110 Anarchists: Natural Interconnections, Ideas, and Conflicts 111 Marxists: Economic Determinism 113 Communists: Revising Dialectical Materialism 117 Fascists and Nazis: Heroic Will and Racial Struggle 119 Contemporary Liberals: Deemphasizing Ontology and Embracing Contingency 121 Contemporary Conservatives: Appreciating the World As It Is 123 The Radical Right: Refuting Charges of Economic and Divine Determination 124 The Extreme Right: Expecting a Divine Apocalypse 126 The Radical Left: Tempering Material Forces with Socialist Ideals 127 The Extreme Left: Releasing Human Imagination, Constrained by Ecological Limits 128 Conclusions 130 6 Questions of Human Nature 133 Classical Liberals: Humans as Equal and Rational Pursuers of Happiness 135 Traditional Conservatives: Defining Humans by their Places in Society 137 Anarchists: Seeing Human Altruism as Hindered by Conventional Institutions 138 Marxists: Conceiving Humans as Creative Laborers 139 Communists: Creating a “New Man” 141 Fascists and Nazis: Energizing the Will of “the Herd” 142 Contemporary Liberals: Fostering Autonomy, Reason, and Moral Development 143 The Radical Left: Stressing our Common Humanity and Individual Differences 145 Contemporary Conservatives: Accepting Human Imperfection 147 The Radical Right: Embedding Humans in Moral Communities and/or Free Markets 149 The Extreme Right: Regarding Humans as either Good or Evil 151 The Extreme Left: Rejecting an Essential Human Nature 152 Conclusions 153 7 Questions of Society 155 Classical Liberals: Individuals Seeking Mutual Benefits Through a Social Contract 156 Traditional Conservatives: Organic Societies that Come Before Individuals 158 Anarchists: Natural Societies Built on Friendship 160 Marxists: Transforming Class-Based Societies into Classless Ones 161 Communists: Non-Proletarian Contributions to a Classless Society 163 Fascists and Nazis: Defining Society in Nationalist and Racist Terms 164 Contemporary Liberals: Promoting Social Pluralism 165 Contemporary Conservatives: Seeing Society as a Delicate Watch 166 The Radical Right: Holding either Communitarian or Libertarian Visions of Society 168 The Radical Left: Searching for More Communal and Egalitarian Societies 168 The Extreme Right: Seeking Homogeneous Societies 170 The Extreme Left: Longing for Societies of “Singularities Pursuing the Common” 171 Conclusions 172 8 Questions of Epistemology 175 Classical Liberals: Moving from Natural Rights to Utilitarianism 177 Traditional Conservatives: Doubting Reason, Stressing Conventional Wisdom 180 Anarchists: Depending on a Vision of Human and Social Possibility 182 Marxists: A Science Showing the Inevitability, not the Goodness, of Communism 183 Communists: Generating Truths from Authoritative Readings of Marx 185 Fascists and Nazis: Finding Absolute Truth in the Intuitions of a Political Leader 186 Contemporary Liberals: Emphasizing Pragmatism 187 Contemporary Conservatives: Using a Social Science of Political Failure 190 The Radical Right: Finding Meaning in Tradition and Truth through Science 192 The Radical Left: Emphasizing Political Rationality 194 The Extreme Right: Finding Truth in Authoritative Texts and Leaders 197 The Extreme Left: Contesting and Deconstructing all Truths 198 Conclusions 199 Part III The Great Issues of Politics: Consensual and Contested Principles 203 9 Questions of Community 207 Classical Liberals: Presupposing the Primacy of Nations 208 Traditional Conservatives: Patriots Lacking Nationalist Fervor 210 Anarchists: Rejecting Conventional Communities While Seeking Natural Ones 212 Marxists: Identifying with the Working Class and Eventually Humanity 213 Communists: Fighting Imperialism Through Nationalist Appeals 214 Fascists and Nazis: Embracing a Unified Nation and an Aryan State 215 Contemporary Liberals: Nations Built on Individual and Group Differences 216 Contemporary Conservatives: Seeking Moral, but not Communitarian, Countries 218 The Radical Right: Competing Global, National, and Sub-National Loyalties 220 The Radical Left: Pursuing Solidarity Among Diverse People in Many Polities 223 The Extreme Right: Rejecting Multiple Community Identities 225 The Extreme Left: Deconstructing Current Identities 226 Conclusions 228 10 Questions of Citizenship 232 Classical Liberals: Curbing Citizenship, Providing Limited Rights and Obligations 233 Traditional Conservatives: Stressing Loyalty and Obedience to Authorities 235 Anarchists: Comrades Without Political Obligations 237 Marxists: Transforming Alienated Workers into Public-Spirited Comrades 238 Communists: Transforming Oppressed People into Obedient Revolutionaries 239 Fascists and Nazis: Mobilizing Dutiful Citizens for Purposes of State 240 Contemporary Liberals: Pursuing Inclusion and Expanding Rights 241 Contemporary Conservatives: Developing More Responsible Citizens 245 The Radical Right: Privileging Property Rights and Instilling Virtue 248 The Radical Left: Embracing Multiple and Deep Citizenships 250 The Extreme Right: Restricting Citizenship 254 The Extreme Left: Changing Passive Citizens into Contentious Ones 255 Conclusions 256 11 Questions of Structure 260 Classical Liberals: Designing Free Markets and Representative Democracies 261 Traditional Conservatives: Emphasizing Civil Society and Cultural Norms 264 Anarchists: Rejecting All Conventional Structures 266 Marxists: Stressing the Oppression of Capitalism 268 Communists: Emphasizing Party Organizations 269 Fascists and Nazis: Empowering Totalitarian States 271 Contemporary Liberals: Balancing and Integrating Government and Capitalism 272 Contemporary Conservatives: Reining in Strong States 276 The Radical Right: More Freedom in The Marketplace and Less Cultural Freedom 277 The Radical Left: Pursuing Market Socialism and Democratic Cultures 280 The Extreme Right: Seeking Theocracies 283 The Extreme Left: Fighting Globalization and Other Forms of Domination 285 Conclusions 286 12 Questions of Rulers 289 Classical Liberals: Empowering Representatives While Holding Them Accountable 290 Traditional Conservatives: Finding a Place for Elitism Within Democracy 292 Anarchists: Rejecting All Rulers 293 Marxists: The Need for a Temporary Dictatorship of the Proletariat 293 Communists: The Need for a Vanguard of the Proletariat 295 Fascists and Nazis: Concentrating Power in the Hands of a Single Ruler 296 Contemporary Liberals: More Representative and Responsive Democracies 297 The Radical Left: More Inclusive and Participatory Democracies 300 Contemporary Conservatives: More Formal Representative Democracy 302 The Radical Right: Democracy as Freedom 304 The Extreme Right: Imagining Conspiracies 307 The Extreme Left: Seeing Formidable Obstacles to Radical and Global Democracy 308 Conclusions 310 13 Questions of Authority 314 Classical Liberals: Authorizing Limited Governments that Secure (Property) Rights 316 Traditional Conservatives: Orchestrating Social Harmony 318 Anarchists: Rejecting All Governmental Authority 320 Marxists: Authority As Oppressive, Then Necessary, and Finally Eliminated 322 Communists: Justifying Massive Authority as a Means to Abolish the State 322 Fascists and Nazis: Embracing Totalitarian State Authority 324 Contemporary Liberalism: From Limited Government to a Strong State 326 Contemporary Conservatives: Limiting the Activity of Governments 329 The Radical Right: Starving Government While Imposing Social Regulations 331 The Radical Left: Enhancing the Public Sphere 334 The Extreme Right: Resisting Authority that Disregards Sacred Texts 339 The Extreme Left: Contesting Governmental Authority 340 Conclusions 341 14 Questions of Justice 343 Classical Liberals: Equal Dignity but Unequal Rewards 345 Traditional Conservatives: Unequal Rights but Commensurate Responsibilities 347 Anarchists: Right Conduct in the Absence of Just Institutions 350 Marxists: Transcending the Circumstances of Justice 352 Communists: Using Social Control to Build a Society in which All Needs are Met 354 Fascists and Nazis: National or Racial Dominance as More Important than Justice 355 Contemporary Liberals: Compensating for Undeserved Disadvantages 355 The Radical Left: Pursuing a More Egalitarian Society 359 Contemporary Conservatives: Criticizing Social Justice, Emphasizing Compassion 366 The Radical Right: Focusing on Fair Procedures and the Pursuit of the Common Good 369 The Extreme Right: Regarding Moral Goodness as the Basis of Just Outcomes 372 The Extreme Left: Decrying Global Injustice while Striving to Share “the Common” 373 Conclusions 375 15 Questions of Change 377 Classical Liberals: Seeking Economic, Intellectual, and Moral Progress 378 Traditional Conservatives: Slowing the Winds of Change 381 Marxists: Predicting Revolution From Below 382 Anarchists: Calling for Rebellion rather than Revolution 384 Communists: Generating Revolutions While Deviating From Marxist Orthodoxy 386 Fascists and Nazis: Revolutionary Change Toward Certain Conservative Values 389 Contemporary Liberals: Achieving Fundamental Change Incrementally 390 Contemporary Conservatives: Pursuing Reforms – of “Failed” Liberal Programs 392 The Radical Right: Seeking Major Changes, even if they Enhance Inequalities 393 The Extreme Right: Returning to a Past of Greater Moral Certainty 396 The Radical Left: Evolutionary Change Toward More Democratic Equality 397 The Extreme Left: Wholesale and Ongoing Change – Without Revolutions 399 Conclusions 403 Notes 406 References 442 Index 458

About the Author :
Paul Schumaker is Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas, where he has taught courses in political theory and community politics since 1972. Dr. Schumaker has authored several books on political theory, including Critical Pluralism, Democratic Performance, and Community Power (1991).

Review :
"The strengths of this work are many. Schumaker's schematic analysis of political ideas is thorough but never pedantic, and he illustrates his analysis with frequent and compelling examples. The result is a thoughtfully written text which will invite students into an interconnected dialogue about their most basic political beliefs. Students whose first exposure to political ideologies and philosophies comes through Schumaker's book will appreciate better not only their own opinions, but will have a better grasp of the advantages and limitations of a pluralistic system like our own, which allows other people's opinions to flourish as well." Russell Arben Fox, Friends University