The Idea of a Liberal Theory : A Critique and Reconstruction / David Johnston.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Johnston, David, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Liberalism and centre democratic ideologies.

Liberalism.

Political science and theory.

Local Subjects:

Liberalism and centre democratic ideologies.

Liberalism.

Political science and theory.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (215 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [1996]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Liberalism, the founding philosophy of many constitutional democracies, has been criticized in recent years from both the left and the right for placing too much faith in individual rights and distributive justice. In this book, David Johnston argues for a reinterpretation of liberal principles he contends will restore liberalism to a position of intellectual leadership from which it can guide political and social reforms. He begins by surveying the three major contemporary schools of liberal political thought--rights-based, perfectionist, and political liberalism--and, by weeding out their weaknesses, sketches a new approach he calls humanist liberalism. The core of Johnston's humanist liberalism is the claim that the purpose of political and social arrangements should be to empower individuals to be effective agents. Drawing on and modifying the theories of John Rawls, Michael Walzer, Ronald Dworkin, Joseph Raz, Amartya Sen, and others, Johnston explains how this purpose can be realized in a world in which human beings hold fundamentally different conceptions of the ends of life. His humanist liberalism responds constructively to feminist, neo-Marxist, and other criticisms while remaining faithful to the core values of the liberal tradition.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE. Political Theory and Liberal Values

CHAPTER TWO. Rights-Based Liberalism

CHAPTER THREE. Perfectionist Liberalism

CHAPTER FOUR. Political Liberalism

CHAPTER FIVE. Humanist Liberalism

CONCLUSION

References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019)

ISBN:

9786612752094

9781282752092

128275209X

9781400821518

1400821517

OCLC:

700688631