Suicide of the West - Hardcover

Richard Koch

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0826490239 ISBN 13: 9780826490230

Publisher: Continuum, 2006

Synopsis

One hundred years ago, most Westerners felt tremendous pride and confidence in their civilisation. They knew what it stood for, and they believed in it. Today that sense has gone. That is largely because the six principal ideas which underpinned Western confidence - those of Christianity, optimism, science, economic growth, liberalism and individualism - have suffered a century of sustained attack. These ideas no longer inspire or unite the West as they once did.

About this title

Review:

"Extremely interesting"David Cannadine, historian

"Clear, well-argued and challenging."Matthew Parris, political columnist

"The six factors are exactly right ... I tried to think of others, but these are the key factors and all of them are vital." Andrew Roberts, historian

"Extremely interesting" David Cannadine, historian

'Suicide of the West is a rather innovative approach to the genre [fantasy]. Smith and Koch have pulled off the difficult trick of telling their tale in a straight-faced, academic manner, as if they were lving in the strange land they describe and genuinely trying to find a solution to its difficulties.' Matt Bright, Red Pepper, 01/10/2006

"I enjoyed the well-written resume ... there is certainly room for such a book ... [especially in] America, where they like big themes and the debate is generally on a higher and broader intellectual level." George Walden, former Cabinet minister

"I agree with the thesis and think it is important." Frank Field, former cabinet minister

"Clear, well-argued and challenging." Matthew Parris, political columnist

"Suicide of the West is a bold attempt to try to distil the essence of western civilisation." The Business, July 2006--Sanford Lakoff

' A book that manages to win praise from a diverse group of people that includes Sir Menzies Campbell, Neil Knnock, Polly Toynbee, Andrew Roberts, Martin Kettle, and Simon Jenkins, must have something going for it.' 'I found myself agreeing with the main thesis even if I wanted to dispute parts of the argument. Sections of this book are..illuminating' Church of England Newspaper, Paul Richardson, 25/08/2006--Sanford Lakoff "Church Of England Newspaper "

Synopsis:

Western civilization has thrived more than any other civilization in the past or present - it has been much more successful in economic, military and political terms, in science and technology, in the arts, and in enhancing its citizens' health, wealth, longevity and even, probably, their happiness. A large degree of success can be traced to six principal ideas - Christianity, optimism, science, economic growth, liberalism and individualism. In 1900, most Westerners felt tremendous pride and confidence in their civilization. They knew what it stood for, and they believed in it. Today that sense has gone. And that is largely because the six ideas which underpinned Western confidence have suffered a century of sustained attack. The ideas no longer inspire or unite the West, nor do they give individuals the confidence essential for unconscious coordinated action. A drift towards collective suicide is evident; it is deeply impregnated in our history since 1914. It can be traced to the declining confidence in each of the attributes that used to inspire the West and the world. However, a careful examination of the six factors shows that they have great resilience.

Much of today's hostility to the ideas is based on fashionable but flaky concepts, such as Freud's view of human nature, which scientific evidence rebuts. In theory, a more sophisticated synthesis of the six ideas could provide a way for the West to recover its nerve and integrity. But in practice? This fascinating book seeks to find the answer.

About this edition

• Publisher: Continuum
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0826490239
• ISBN 13: 9780826490230
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208