In the King's Shadow

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book In the King's Shadow by Philip Manow, Wiley
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Philip Manow ISBN: 9780745694726
Publisher: Wiley Publication: November 5, 2014
Imprint: Polity Language: English
Author: Philip Manow
ISBN: 9780745694726
Publisher: Wiley
Publication: November 5, 2014
Imprint: Polity
Language: English

It is commonly assumed that the rise of modern democracies put an end to the spectacular and ceremonial aspects of political rule that were so characteristic of monarchies and other earlier regimes. The medieval idea that the king had two bodies - a mortal physical body and an eternal political body - strikes us today as alien and remote from our understanding of politics: with the transition from monarchy to modern representative democracy, the idea of the body politic was abandoned. Or was it?

In this remarkable and highly original book Philip Manow shows that the body politic, though so often pronounced dead, remains alive in modern democracies. It is just one of the many ideas that we have inherited from our predecessors and that continue to shape our modern forms of political life. Why did the semi-circle become the main seating plan for modern parliaments? Why do we think that parliament should mirror the diversity of society? Why does the president's motorcade always have more than one identical-looking Cadillac? Why do we pay so much attention to the physical features and appearance - the body - of our political leaders today? In answering these and other questions Manow sheds fresh light on the pre-modern origins of our modern political institutions and practices and shows convincingly that all political power - including democracy - requires and produces its own political mythology.

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

It is commonly assumed that the rise of modern democracies put an end to the spectacular and ceremonial aspects of political rule that were so characteristic of monarchies and other earlier regimes. The medieval idea that the king had two bodies - a mortal physical body and an eternal political body - strikes us today as alien and remote from our understanding of politics: with the transition from monarchy to modern representative democracy, the idea of the body politic was abandoned. Or was it?

In this remarkable and highly original book Philip Manow shows that the body politic, though so often pronounced dead, remains alive in modern democracies. It is just one of the many ideas that we have inherited from our predecessors and that continue to shape our modern forms of political life. Why did the semi-circle become the main seating plan for modern parliaments? Why do we think that parliament should mirror the diversity of society? Why does the president's motorcade always have more than one identical-looking Cadillac? Why do we pay so much attention to the physical features and appearance - the body - of our political leaders today? In answering these and other questions Manow sheds fresh light on the pre-modern origins of our modern political institutions and practices and shows convincingly that all political power - including democracy - requires and produces its own political mythology.

More books from Wiley

Cover of the book Ore Deposits by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Construction Project Scheduling and Control by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Ethics in Finance by Philip Manow
Cover of the book One-Dimensional Superconductivity in Nanowires by Philip Manow
Cover of the book The Innovative Mindset by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Principles and Practice of Soil Science by Philip Manow
Cover of the book The Effects of Sound on People by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Biological Psychiatry by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Solid-Phase Organic Syntheses, Volume 2 by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Mastering the Stock Market by Philip Manow
Cover of the book VCA-DCV VMware Certified Associate on vSphere Study Guide by Philip Manow
Cover of the book The Vest Pocket CPA by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Leadership-Driven HR by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Culture Hacker by Philip Manow
Cover of the book Advances in Chemical Physics by Philip Manow
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