Political Thinking, Political Theory, and Civil Society

Abstract

Introduction: Political Thinking and Political Theory. Political Thinking and Political Theory. The Link Between Political Theory and Political Thinking. Socrates of the Apology and the Crito. The Rest of the Book. I. CLASSICAL AND CHRISTIAN AND MACHIAVELLIAN APPROACHES. 1. The Importance of a Civil Society. Civil Society: The Problem Faced. The Democratic Civil Society. Civil Society of Mediating Groups. Civil Society: The Liberal Solution. Liberal Civil Society: The Justification. The Civic Virtues of Toleration and Mutual Respect. The Market Dimension of Civil Society: Adam Smiths Dilemma. The Importance of Civil Society. 2. Plato: Civic Virtue and the Just Society. Introduction. Platos Republic: What Justice is Not: Cephalus and Polemarchus. What Justice Is Not: Thrasymachus. The Next Question: What Is Justice? The Basic Dimensions of Society. The Guardians and the Three Parts of the Soul. The Philosopher as King. Justice, Civic Virtue, and the Noble Lie. Democracy and Injustice. Plato and Civil Society. 3. Aristotles Response to Plato: The Importance of Friendship. Introduction. Scientific Knowledge and Practical Intelligence. Aristotle on Platos Forms and the Search for Happiness. The Nature of the Polis. Citizenship and Friendship. Slavery and Friendship. Citizenship and Differentials in Contribution. Family and Private Property. Constitutions: Just and Unjust. Democracy and Public Deliberation. Aristotle and Civil Society. 4. Christian Conceptions of Civic Virtue. Introduction. Introduction to Augustine. The Problem of Sin. The Two Cities: The Earthly City and the Heavenly City. Implications of Augustines View for Civic Virtue and Civil Society. St. Thomas Aquinas: Justice Restored. The Natural Law in Aquinas. Human Law and Civic Virtue. Aquinas on the Question of Civic Virtue and Civil Society. Luther and Calvin: An Introduction. Luther and Calvin: Morality and Civic Virtue. The State and Intellectual Freedom in Luther and Calvin. The Implications for Civic Virtue and Civil Society. Transition to Machiavelli. 5. Niccolo Machiavelli: Civic Virtue and Civil Society. Historical Setting and Introduction. The Prince. A. Monarchy B. Innovation Through Violence C. Techniques of Power: Maintaining Appearances. The Discourses and Republican Forms. The Mandragola. The Moral of Mandragola and Civil Society. II. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO CIVIL SOCIETY. 6. Thomas Hobbes and Modern Civil Society. Introduction: Historical Context. Hobbess Method. Hobbes and the State of Nature. Hobbess Civil Society: The Laws of Nature and Civic Virtue. The Role and Structure of the State. The Christian Commonwealth. Response and Rejoinder. 7. John Locke, Civil Society and the Constrained Majority. Introduction. The Concept of Political Authority. The State of Nature I: Justification for Political Authority. State of Nature II: Constraints for Freedom. The Nature of Civil Society and Constrained Majority Rule. Lockes Limited Government. The Right of Revolution. Toleration and Civil Society. Response and Rejoinder. 8. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Community and Civil Society. Introduction. Selfishness and Self-Love. The Second Discourse: Origin of Inequality Among Men. The Loss of Civic Virtue. The New Social Contract and the New Civil Society. Rousseaus Threat to Civil Society. Response and Rejoinder. 9. Kant: Civil Society and International Order. Introduction: Public Reason. The Process of Practical Reason. Kants Civil Society. Natures Secret Plan. The New World Order: A Federation of Civil Societies. Public Reason and Civil Society. Response and Rejoinder. 10. Hegel: Civil Society and the State. Introduction. Phenomenology of Spirit. Civil Society. The State and Civic Virtue. Response and Rejoinder. 11. John Stuart Mill-Civil Society as a Higher Calling. Introduction-Mills Perfected Civil Society. Mill and Bentham: The Principle of Utility. A. Benthams Pleasure Calculus B. Utility, Justice, and Rights. On Liberty: The Culture of Civil Society. A. Well-Developed Persons B. Opinion Advocacy and Civic Virtue C. Self-Regarding Freedom. The Stationary Economy and Private Property. On Representative Government. Response and Rejoinder. 12. John Rawls: The Just and Fair Society. Introduction. Rawlss Principles of Justice in A Theory of Justice. The Well-Ordered Society. Political Liberalism and Value Pluralism. The Overlapping Consensus and Civic Virtue. Public Reason and Constitutional Essentials. Civil Society and Political Liberalism. Response and Rejoinder. Transition to Conservatives: The Communitarian Critique of Rawls. 13. The Conservative View: Burke, Tocqueville, and Oakeshott. Introduction. Edmund Burke: The Purpose of Civil Society. The Natural Aristocracy. The Role of Virtue: The Importance of Moderation. Local Affiliations and Religion. Identity and Civic Virtue in Burke. Alexis de Tocqueville and the Commitment to Equality. The Passion for Equality. Voluntary Associations and Local Government. Materialism and Religion. Threats to Civil Society. Tocqueville, Identity, and Civic Virtue. Introduction: Michael Oakeshott and Civil Society. Oakeshotts Free Agent. Civitas Versus Unversitas. Civitas, Politics, and Government. Response and Rejoinder. III. CRITIQUES OF CIVIL SOCIETY. 14. The Marxist Critique of Civil Society. Introduction: Marxs Reaction to Hegel. Political Emancipation: Rights in Civil Society. Modern Alienation. The Norms of Alienated Life. Historical Context of Alienation. The Economic Argument: The Sources of Exploitation. Crisis of Capitalism: Declining Profits. The New Order. Response and Rejoinder. Max Weber and Herbert Marcuse: The Bureaucratic State. 15. Friedrich Nietzches Critique of Civil Society. Introduction. Dionysus Versus Apollo and the Quest for a New Culture. The Place of Morality. The Master and Slave Moralities. Origin of Slave and Herd Moralities. Democracy and Civil Society. Politics of Bad Conscience. Response and Rejoinder. Michel Foucaults Nietzschean Critique. 16. Feminist Responses to Civil Society. Introduction-The Public and the Private. The Silencing of Women. Political Theory and the Feminist Critique: Hegel and Mill. Pateman and Okin on Patriarchy. Okin and the Non-gendered Viewpoint: The Liberal Conception. MacKinnons: Female Empowerment. Elshtain: The Discourse of Justice. Hartsock and the Marxist, Feminist Viewpoint. Paglias Nietzschean Perspective. Response and Rejoinder. 17. Civil Society Revisited. Summary of the Main Argument. Civil Society as a Separate Sphere. Civic Virtue. Mutual Respect. Toleration. Autonomy. The Market Experience. The Value of Civil Society: The Quest for Equality. The Future of Civil Society. Bureaucratic Roadblocks to the Future of Civil Society. Economic Roadblocks to the Future of Civil Society. Personal Roadblocks to Civil Society. Partial Bibliography and Further Reading. Index.