fukuyama liberalism and its discontents review

As the renowned political philosopher Francis Fukuyama shows in Liberalism and Its Discontents, the principles of liberalism have also, in recent decades, been pushed to new extremes by both the right and the left: neoliberals made a cult of economic freedom, and progressives focused on identity over human universality as central to their political vision. Conservatives complain that liberalism empties the common life of meaning. Who counted as full human beings worthy of universal rights was contested for centuries, and only recently has this circle expanded to include women, African Americans, LGBTQ+ people, and others. In America, many people were denied equality before the law. It's no secret that liberalism didn't always live up to its own ideals. It emphasizes the rights of individuals to pursue their own forms of happiness free from encroachment by government. Developed in the wake of Europe’s wars over religion and nationalism, liberalism is a system for governing diverse societies, which is grounded in fundamental principles of equality and the rule of law. To join, please contact Hollis Chen: short book about the challenges to liberalism from the right and the left by the bestselling author of The Origins of Political Order.Ĭlassical liberalism is in a state of crisis.

The group meets virtually, usually once every 4-6 weeks on Sundays at 4 p.m.

We prize respectful engagement on difficult subjects. We want to establish a space where people can step outside their echo chambers and engage with, and more fully comprehend, those with differing points of view. We’re not aiming to determine winners or losers but to create opportunities for people to speak freely with each other over matters about which they disagree. The goal of the group is not conversion but conversation and understanding. Examples of the titles of books read so far include Rising Out of Hatred (Eli Saslow), Melting Pot or Civil War? (Reihan Salam), The Gun Debate (Philip Cook, Kristin Goss), and Alienated America (Timothy Carney).

Each month, group members read a book about a sensitive political issue – guns, immigration, race, the state of liberal democracy, alienation in America – and share views about the book and relevant personal experiences. The Bipartisan Book Group is a group of self-identified liberals and conservatives attempting to bridge the partisan divide by having civilized discussions about controversial topics.

Fukuyama liberalism and its discontents review