The Free Society in Crisis: A History of Our Times

Described in a pre-publication review in the New York Times as "ambitious" and "exactly right to conclude that we need a practical renewal of the politics and ethics of the civic commonwealth," noted historian of ideas and political theorist David Selbourne takes his distance in The Free Society in Crisis from the routine thinking of right and left. Instead, he argues that free societies are under simultaneous threat from "market free choice" and "moral free choice", and sees them as two sides of the same coin. Market free choice gives free rein to market forces even when they create dangerous tensions between the haves and have-nots, and ride roughshod over communities and whole nations, while moral free choice privileges individual rights without any sense of civic responsibility and social consequence. The result of such individualism in economic and moral practice, whose history in recent decades Selbourne traces, is the malaise we find ourselves in today: a lost sense of place, identity and personal direction, as well as dismissiveness and ignorance of the lessons of the past. For today's liberty is not the freedom fought for in the French and American revolutions; it is instead the liberty of consumers and free-choosers. Reminding the reader of the aspirations and largely-forgotten writings of America's Founding Fathers, Selbourne shows how its first settlers' idea of a "true commonwealth" rested on "affections truly bent upon the common good". Today, as the democratic social order dissolves, and disapproval of the political class increases, he makes clear that liberty alone, however "progressive" it may be held to be, will not restore it, while there can be no "true commonwealth" where citizenship is seen as little more than a means of access to material benefits rather than a place of belonging. Moreover, if a civil society is to cohere, we must be citizens before we are Christians, Muslims, or Jews.

About the Author :
David Selbourne is the author of The Principle of Duty and The Losing Battle with Islam, among other works. For twenty years a tutor in the history of political ideas at Ruskin College, Oxford, he has also written for the Sunday Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian and other newspapers, and covered the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. An earlier work of his, The Spirit of the Age, was described by a reviewer as "one of the most powerful books I have ever read."

Review :
Democracy is hard to achieve and easy to lose. David Selbourne's deeply thoughtful book on the powerful forces tearing our democracy apart is a cri de coeur on what must be done to restore civility." --John Maxwell Hamilton, Global Scholar, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars"Selbourne's wonderfully written indictment of political decline is a must-read for all involved in public policy and a warning to us all against decades of fudge and self-indulgence by governments and elected representatives from all quarters of political life. The surrender of libertarians to flabby acceptance of rights without corresponding duties is described in all its failure. His stunning historical analysis and forensic philosophical critique will spread alarm, as it provides us fair notice of the dangers of paying too little attention to the downsides of globalization. His penetrating analysis of the decline of the nation-state is detailed and a profound prognostication."--Lord Alex Carlile, CBE QC, former UK independent reviewer of terrorism law"Like a skilled doctor with devastating news, Selbourne delivers a grim diagnosis of the state of Western civilization in The Free Society in Crisis. Thought-provoking and alarmist, Selbourne's examination reveals a disintegrating culture of self-harm, where freedom no longer implies responsibility and market interests have overrun every aspect of our lives. Selbourne's work will resonate with many, including those concerned with the destruction of family values and the breakdown of social norms. Convinced we are floundering in an ethical void, he warns the West will eventually be overtaken by Islam. Insisting that the Founding Fathers envisioned a free society protected from the abuses of liberty by deist faith, he recommends a revival of their practical politics and ethics." --Cory Taylor, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and author of How Hitler Was Made"A richly detailed indictment of our libertarian society as it overemphasizes ego and underemphasizes social responsibility. The book confronts major challenges that are facing the United States and the United Kingdom today, from the growing gap between the rich and the poor to issues concerning education, healthcare, bioethics, immigration, and the rise of militant Islamist movements, among others. In seeking to synthesize positions from both the right and the left, and in developing arguments from classic thinkers, as well as America's Founding Fathers, the book argues for the establishment of a true commonwealth that provides for the common good of the individual, the family, and the larger society."--Hall Gardner, author of World War Trump"Selbourne is an acute observer of the many ways in which a 'market' conception of human freedom has invaded the self-image of modern societies, eroding all standards of virtue and self-reliance. His comprehensive indictment is hard to rebut, because it issues from a serious and humane vision of our moral capacities. Incisively written and with a wealth of fascinating detail, this book will be a talking point for many years to come." --Sir Roger Scruton, writer and philosopher