Aristocratic Liberalism

The Social and Political Thought of Jacob Burckhardt, John Stuart Mill, and Alexis De Tocqueville

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, History, Criticism, & Surveys, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Aristocratic Liberalism by Alan Kahan, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Alan Kahan ISBN: 9781351315548
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: November 30, 2017
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Alan Kahan
ISBN: 9781351315548
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: November 30, 2017
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

"Liberalism" is widely used to describe a variety of social and political ideas, but has been an especially difficult concept for historians and political scientists to define. Burckhardt, Mill, and Tocqueville define one type of liberal thought. They share an aristocratic liberalism marked by distaste for the masses and the middle class, opposition to the commercial spirit, fear and contempt of mediocrity, and suspicion of the centralized state. Their fears are combined with an elevated ideal of human personality, an ideal which affirms modernity. All see their ideals threatened in the immediate future, and all hope to save European civilization from barbarism and militarism through some form of education, although all grow more pessimistic towards the end of their lives.

Aristocratic Liberalism ignores the national boundaries that so often confine the history of political thought, and uses the perspective thus gained to establish a pan-European type of political thought. Going beyond Burckhardt, Mill, and Tocqueville, Aristocratic Liberalism argues for new ways of looking at nineteenth-century liberalism. It corrects many prevalent misconceptions about liberalism, and suggests new paths for arriving at a better understanding of the leading form of nineteenth-century political thought. The new Afterword by the author presents a novel description of liberal political language as the "discourse of capacity," and suggests that this kind of language is the common denominator of all forms of European liberalism in the nineteenth century. Aristocratic Liberalism will be valuable to students of history, political science, sociology, and political philosophy.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

"Liberalism" is widely used to describe a variety of social and political ideas, but has been an especially difficult concept for historians and political scientists to define. Burckhardt, Mill, and Tocqueville define one type of liberal thought. They share an aristocratic liberalism marked by distaste for the masses and the middle class, opposition to the commercial spirit, fear and contempt of mediocrity, and suspicion of the centralized state. Their fears are combined with an elevated ideal of human personality, an ideal which affirms modernity. All see their ideals threatened in the immediate future, and all hope to save European civilization from barbarism and militarism through some form of education, although all grow more pessimistic towards the end of their lives.

Aristocratic Liberalism ignores the national boundaries that so often confine the history of political thought, and uses the perspective thus gained to establish a pan-European type of political thought. Going beyond Burckhardt, Mill, and Tocqueville, Aristocratic Liberalism argues for new ways of looking at nineteenth-century liberalism. It corrects many prevalent misconceptions about liberalism, and suggests new paths for arriving at a better understanding of the leading form of nineteenth-century political thought. The new Afterword by the author presents a novel description of liberal political language as the "discourse of capacity," and suggests that this kind of language is the common denominator of all forms of European liberalism in the nineteenth century. Aristocratic Liberalism will be valuable to students of history, political science, sociology, and political philosophy.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Freedom: Political, Metaphysical, Negative and Positive by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Affective Politics of the Global Event by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Reconstructing Motherhood and Disability in the Age of Perfect Babies by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Malay Political Leadership by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Step into Our Lives at the Funeral Home by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Subaltern Movements in India by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Writing Tangier in the Postcolonial Transition by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Working with Families of Children with Special Needs by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Psychoanalytic and Buddhist Reflections on Gentleness by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Education, Work and Social Capital by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Understanding American Sports by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Turkey's Road to European Union Membership by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Genomics and the Reimagining of Personalized Medicine by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Body, Femininity and Nationalism by Alan Kahan
Cover of the book Voyage Charters by Alan Kahan
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy