The Central Liberal Truth

How Politics Can Change a Culture and Save It from Itself

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Government, Democracy, Public Policy, Social Science
Cover of the book The Central Liberal Truth by Lawrence E. Harrison, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Lawrence E. Harrison ISBN: 9780199839841
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: July 8, 2008
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Lawrence E. Harrison
ISBN: 9780199839841
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: July 8, 2008
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Which cultural values, beliefs, and attitudes best promote democracy, social justice, and prosperity? How can we use the forces that shape cultural change, such as religion, education, and political leadership, to promote these values in the Third World--and for underachieving minorities in the First World? In this book, Lawrence E. Harrison offers intriguing answers to these questions, in a valuable follow-up to his acclaimed Culture Matters. Drawing on a three-year research project that explored the cultural values of dozens of nations--from Botswana, Sweden, and India to China, Egypt, and Chile--Harrison offers a provocative look at values around the globe, revealing how each nation's culture has propelled or retarded their political and economic progress. The book presents 25 factors that operate very differently in cultures prone to progress and those that resist it, including one's influence over destiny, the importance attached to education, the extent to which people identify with and trust others, and the role of women in society. Harrison pulls no punches, and many of his findings are controversial. Contradicting the arguments of multiculturalists, this book contends that when it comes to promoting human progress, some cultures are clearly more effective than others. It convincingly shows which values, beliefs, and attitudes work and how we can foster them. "Harrison takes up the question that is at the center of politics today: Can we self-consciously change cultures so they encourage development and modernization?" --David Brooks, New York Times "I can think of no better entrance to the topic, both for what it teaches and the way it invites and prepares the reader to continue. A gateway study." --David S. Landes, author of The Wealth and Poverty of Nations

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

Which cultural values, beliefs, and attitudes best promote democracy, social justice, and prosperity? How can we use the forces that shape cultural change, such as religion, education, and political leadership, to promote these values in the Third World--and for underachieving minorities in the First World? In this book, Lawrence E. Harrison offers intriguing answers to these questions, in a valuable follow-up to his acclaimed Culture Matters. Drawing on a three-year research project that explored the cultural values of dozens of nations--from Botswana, Sweden, and India to China, Egypt, and Chile--Harrison offers a provocative look at values around the globe, revealing how each nation's culture has propelled or retarded their political and economic progress. The book presents 25 factors that operate very differently in cultures prone to progress and those that resist it, including one's influence over destiny, the importance attached to education, the extent to which people identify with and trust others, and the role of women in society. Harrison pulls no punches, and many of his findings are controversial. Contradicting the arguments of multiculturalists, this book contends that when it comes to promoting human progress, some cultures are clearly more effective than others. It convincingly shows which values, beliefs, and attitudes work and how we can foster them. "Harrison takes up the question that is at the center of politics today: Can we self-consciously change cultures so they encourage development and modernization?" --David Brooks, New York Times "I can think of no better entrance to the topic, both for what it teaches and the way it invites and prepares the reader to continue. A gateway study." --David S. Landes, author of The Wealth and Poverty of Nations

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Debating the Death Penalty by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Stealing Fire from Heaven by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Shared Identities by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Military Anthropology by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book The Life of Langston Hughes by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Early Modern Theology, 1600-1800 by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Lawfare by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book The Complete Lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book The Book Business by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Populism's Power by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Attention, Genes, and Developmental Disorders by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book The Life of the Cosmos by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction by Lawrence E. Harrison
Cover of the book Cross-Curricular Resources for Young Learners - Resource Books for Teachers by Lawrence E. Harrison
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