Suicide of the West: An Essay on the Meaning and Destiny of LiberalismJames Burnham’s 1964 classic, Suicide of the West, remains a startling account on the nature of the modern era. It offers a profound, in depth analysis of what is happening in the world today by putting into focus the intangible, often vague doctrine of American liberalism. It parallels the loosely defined liberal ideology rampant in American government and institutions, with the flow, ebb, growth, climax and the eventual decline and death of both ancient and modern civilizations. Its author maintains that western suicidal tendencies lie not so much in the lack of resources or military power, but through an erosion of intellectual, moral, and spiritual factors abundant in modern western society and the mainstay of liberal psychology. Devastating in its relentless dissection of the liberal syndrome, this book will lead many liberals to painful self-examination, buttress the thinking conservative’s viewpoint, and incite others, no doubt, to infuriation. None can ignore it. |
Contents
The Universal Dialogue | |
Equality and Welfare | |
Ideological Thinking | |
A Critical Note in Passing | |
The Guilt of the Liberal | |
Pas dEnnemi à Gauche | |
Dialectic of Liberalism | |
Who Are the Liberals? | |
The Drift of U S Foreign Policy | |
Liberalism vs Reality | |
The Function of Liberalism | |
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Common terms and phrases
abstract Africa Americans for Democratic attitude become Burnham century Chiclayo citizens colonial communism communist communist enterprise conservative democracy Democratic Action disarmament discrimination economic egalitarian empire enemy equality European example fact feel force free speech freedom goal guilt Hubert Humphrey human nature Hutchins ideals ideas ignorance individual institutions intellectual interests James Burnham John Stuart Mill Justice less liberal beliefs liberal doctrine liberal ideology liberalism’s Liberty logical major mankind means merely Michael Oakeshott military modern liberalism moral Negroes non-communist non-liberals objective opinion pacifist peace perhaps persons political practical principles problem Professor progress race racial reactionary reality reason reform revolution rule Schlesinger sense Sidney Hook Skid Row social society sort sovereignty Soviet Soviet Union Suez Sukarno tendency theory things Third World tradition truth United Nations values Vilfredo Pareto Walt Whitman Rostow West Western civilization Western nations York