The age of ideology : political ideologies from the American Revolution to postmodern times / John Schwarzmantel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schwarzmantel, J. J. (John J.), 1947-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political science--History.

Political science.

History.

Ideology--History.

Ideology.

Right and left (Political science)--History.

Right and left (Political science).

Physical Description:

xii, 210 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : New York University Press, 1998.

Summary:

After the great revolutions of 1776 in America and 1789 in France, modern nations began to express political struggle as a conflict between Left and Right, a spectrum of ideologies including socialism, liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, and later, communism and fascism, among others. These dominant ideologies reflected the themes of industrial society, powerful nation-states, and the era of class politics.

Today, however, a series of rapid social and political transformations have provoked a world-wide crisis of ideologies. New technology threatens the traditional social structure of heavy industry. Increased globalization challenges the sovereignty of the nation-state, and class divisions appear less salient. In light of these changes, do modern ideologies have anything to say to us as citizens of the world today?

"The Age of Ideology" analyzes the contemporary relevance of the main ideologies that have been central to political struggle over the past two centuries. Believing the postmodern critique of ideologies as inadequate for dealing with society's problems, John Schwarzmantel argues convincingly that political ideologies still provide essential organizing frameworks for political debate and action.

Contents:

Introduction: Ideology and the Crisis of Modernity 1

Part I Enlightenment and Emancipation

1 The Politics of Modernity 17

The Origins of Modernity 19

The Rise of the Masses 22

Enlightenment Philosophy 23

The Philosophy of Emancipation 26

The Ideal of the Republic 28

Civil Society 31

Public Opinion and the Public Sphere 34

Towards Revolution 37

2 The Revolutionary Challenge 40

The Discourse of Democracy 41

Sovereignty and Representation 43

America: The New Republic 47

France: The People-Nation 52

The Idea of Citizenship 56

Part II Ideologies of Modernity

3 Liberalism and Modernity 63

The Modernist Agenda 64

Liberty and Progress 67

Danger of Revolution 72

Individualism and Equality 76

Dilemmas of Liberalism 82

4 Socialism and Emancipation 87

The Organisation of Production 87

Harmony and Association 92

Marxism and Modernity 94

Problems of Marxism 100

Socialism in Crisis? 103

5 Conservative Critiques 110

Defining 'the Right' 112

Conservatism and Modernity 115

The Organic Community 120

The Revolutionary Right 123

The Future of the Right 126

6 Nationalism and its Ambiguities 131

The Paradoxes of Nationalism 133

Nationalism and Modernity 137

The Malleability of Nationalism 141

The Resurgence of Nationalism 144

Nationalism in Postmodern times 145

Part III The Crisis of Ideologies

7 The Crisis of Modernity 151

Theoretical Critiques of Modernity 152

The Transformation of Modernity 157

The Crisis of the Nation-State 158

Problems of State and Citizenship 160

Crisis of Civil Society 161

The Decline of Class Identity 164

The Challenge of Postmodernism 168

Pluralism and Diversity 173

8 Critiques of the Enlightenment Ideologies 175

Critique of Liberalism 176

The Dissolution of Socialism 179

Nationalism and Identity 184

9 The Future of Ideology 187

Problems of Subject and Agency 187

Assumptions of Unity 190

Ideology and Totalitarianism 191

Ideology and Common Citizenship 193

Ideology and Democratic Politics 195.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 200-206) and index.

ISBN:

0814780954

0814780962

OCLC:

37155908