Democratic faith / Patrick J. Deneen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Deneen, Patrick J., 1964-

Series:

New forum books

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Democracy--Philosophy.

Democracy.

Democracy--History.

History.

Democracy--Moral and ethical aspects.

Physical Description:

xvii, 365 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, [2005]

Summary:

The American political reformer Herbert Croly wrote, "For better or worse, democracy cannot be disentangled from an aspiration toward human perfectibility." Democratic Faith is at once a trenchant analysis and a powerful critique of this underlying assumption that informs democratic theory. Patrick Deneen argues that among democracy's most ardent supporters there is an oft-expressed belief in the need to "transform" human beings in order to reconcile the sometimes disappointing reality of human self-interest with the democratic ideal of selfless commitment. This "transformative impulse" is frequently couched in religious language, such as the need for political "redemption." This is all the more striking given the frequent accompanying condemnation of traditional religious belief that informs the "democratic faith."

At the same time, because so often this democratic ideal fails to materialize, democratic faith is often subject to a particularly intense form of disappointment. A mutually reinforcing cycle of faith and disillusionment is frequently exhibited by those who profess a democratic faith-in effect imperiling democratic commitments due to the cynicism of its most fervent erstwhile supporters.

Deneen argues that democracy is ill-served by such faith. Instead, he proposes a form of "democratic realism" that recognizes democracy not as a regime with aspirations to perfection, but that justifies democracy as the regime most appropriate for imperfect humans. If democratic faith aspires to transformation, democratic realism insists on the central importance of humility, hope, and charity.

Contents:

Preface: Worshiping Democracy: The Pantheon and the Goddess of Democracy xiii

Introduction: Dynamics of Democratic Faith 1

Part I Democratic Faith and Its Discontents

Chapter 1 Faith in Man 15

Chapter 2 Democratic Transformation 50

Chapter 3 Democracy as Trial: Toward a Critique of Democratic Faith 84

Part II Voices of the Democratic Faithful

Chapter 4 Protagoras Unbound: The Democratic Mythology of Protagoras's "Great Speech" 119

Chapter 5 Civil Religion and the Democratic Faith of Rousseau 140

Chapter 6 American Faith: The Translation of Religious Faith to Democratic Faith 166

Part III Friendly Critics of Democratic Faith

Chapter 7 "A Pattern Laid Up in Heaven": Plato's Democratic Ideal 191

Chapter 8 The Only Permanent State: Tocqueville on Religion and Democracy 214

Chapter 9 Hope in America: The Chastened Faith of Reinhold Niebuhr and Christopher Lasch 239

Conclusion: A Model of Democratic Charity 270.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [289]-360) and index.

ISBN:

069111871X

OCLC:

56632141