In Defence of PoliticsIn this illuminating celebration of the political world, Bernard Crick asserts that politics, with its compromises and power struggles, remains the only tested alternative to government by coercion, making both freedom and order possible in heterogeneous societies. For Crick, politics is messy and complex, and his book defends it against those who would identify it with (and reduce it to) ideology, democracy, nationalism, or technology. This Fourth edition has been updated to include an assessment of the revolutions in 1989 in Eastern Europe. It also examines current situations in Northern Ireland, Israel and Palestine, and South Africa. "A short book written with verve and brilliance. . . . He has written an exceedingly clever and disturbing book on important issues, all that he writes is alive and much of what he says, even when it seems perversely provocative, turns out to be penetrating and serious." --Isaiah Berlin, 20th Century "One of the most thoughtful products of the political dialogues of the London School of Economics since the great days of Tawney, Dalton, Wallas and Hobhouse. Its sobriety, liberal spirit and toughness of mind are rare qualities in any political work." --Edward Shils, Guardian Bernard Crick is emeritus professor of politics at Birkbeck College, London, and honorary fellow of Edinburgh University. Among his publications are George Orwell: A Life. |
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Contents
Preface to the First Edition | 7 |
The Nature of Political Rule | 15 |
A Defence of Politics Against Ideology | 34 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
action activity actual American argued attempt become believe better British called circumstances civil claim common complete concept conservative constitutional course create culture danger democracy democratic depends destroy distinction doctrine economic equality everything exist experience fact force fraternity freedom give groups human idea ideal ideology important individual industrial instance institutions interests kind knowledge least less liberal liberty limited live Marxism mass matter means ment merely moral natural necessary never normal objective once particular party perhaps political system politicians possible practical principle problem production purely R. H. Tawney reason régimes relations rule scientific seen sense simply single social socialist society theory things thought tion totalitarian tradition true truth values
Bibliographic information
| Title | In Defence of Politics Volume 655 of Pelican books, Pelican book Pelican political science |
| Author | Bernard Crick |
| Edition | 2, illustrated, reprint, revised |
| Publisher | Penguin Books, 1964 |
| Original from | the University of California |
| Digitized | 12 Nov 2009 |
| ISBN | 0140206558, 9780140206555 |
| Length | 198 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |