The Free Society in Crisis: A History of Our Times - Hardcover

David Selbourne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1633885305 ISBN 13: 9781633885301

Publisher: Prometheus, 2019

Synopsis

Critiquing assumptions on both the left and the right, noted historian of ideas and political theorist David Selbourne stresses the importance of shared community and civic duty.

How stable are free societies today? This book argues that they are under threat from "market free-choice" and "moral free-choice," two sides of the same coin which between them, the author warns, threaten to tear civil society apart. Market free-choice is the prevailing economic ideology that gives free reign to market forces, even when they ride roughshod over communities and whole nations. Moral free-choice, the other side of the coin, is the notion of individual rights without any sense of civic responsibility. The result of such ultra-individualism in economic and moral practice is the malaise we find ourselves in today: a lost sense of place, community, and belonging, as well as dismissiveness and unawareness of the lessons of the past.

In the wake of these destructive trends, this book reminds us that personal well-being is dependent in large part upon the maintenance of a coherent civic and moral order. A society consisting of isolated individuals focused solely on personal rights with no regard for the foundation of their freedoms will soon see that foundation crumble through neglect. By the same token, a society that routinely sacrifices equality of opportunity and economic fairness to the forces of the global marketplace creates dangerous tensions between the few haves and the many have-nots.

Reminding the reader of the aspirations and largely-forgotten writings of America's founding fathers, the book concludes by pointing to the principles of what the author calls the "true commonwealth" as an alternative to today's political, ethical, and social disorders.

About this title

Review:

"Democracy is hard to achieve and easy to lose. David Selbourne's deeply thoughtful book on the powerful forces tearing our democracy apart is a cri de coeur on what must be done to restore civility."

--John Maxwell Hamilton, Global Scholar, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars

"Selbourne's wonderfully written indictment of political decline is a must-read for all involved in public policy and a warning to us all against decades of fudge and self-indulgence by governments and elected representatives from all quarters of political life. The surrender of libertarians to flabby acceptance of rights without corresponding duties is described in all its failure. His stunning historical analysis and forensic philosophical critique will spread alarm, as it provides us fair notice of the dangers of paying too little attention to the downsides of globalization. His penetrating analysis of the decline of the nation-state is detailed and a profound prognostication."

--Lord Alex Carlile, CBE QC, former UK independent reviewer of terrorism law

"Like a skilled doctor with devastating news, Selbourne delivers a grim diagnosis of the state of Western civilization in The Free Society in Crisis. Thought-provoking and alarmist, Selbourne's examination reveals a disintegrating culture of self-harm, where freedom no longer implies responsibility and market interests have overrun every aspect of our lives. Selbourne's work will resonate with many, including those concerned with the destruction of family values and the breakdown of social norms. Convinced we are floundering in an ethical void, he warns the West will eventually be overtaken by Islam. Insisting that the Founding Fathers envisioned a free society protected from the abuses of liberty by deist faith, he recommends a revival of their practical politics and ethics."

--Cory Taylor, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and author of How Hitler Was Made

"A richly detailed indictment of our libertarian society as it overemphasizes ego and underemphasizes social responsibility. The book confronts major challenges that are facing the United States and the United Kingdom today, from the growing gap between the rich and the poor to issues concerning education, healthcare, bioethics, immigration, and the rise of militant Islamist movements, among others. In seeking to synthesize positions from both the right and the left, and in developing arguments from classic thinkers, as well as America's Founding Fathers, the book argues for the establishment of a true commonwealth that provides for the common good of the individual, the family, and the larger society."

--Hall Gardner, author of World War Trump

"Selbourne is an acute observer of the many ways in which a 'market' conception of human freedom has invaded the self-image of modern societies, eroding all standards of virtue and self-reliance. His comprehensive indictment is hard to rebut, because it issues from a serious and humane vision of our moral capacities. Incisively written and with a wealth of fascinating detail, this book will be a talking point for many years to come."

--Sir Roger Scruton, writer and philosopher

About the Author:

David Selbourne is the author of The Losing Battle with Islam and The Principle of Duty, among other works. For twenty years, he was a tutor in the history of political thought at Ruskin College, Oxford, and thereafter a free-lance journalist for the Sunday Times, the Sunday Telegraph, the Independent, the Guardian, and other newspapers, during which time he covered the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. An earlier work, The Spirit of the Age, was described by a reviewer as "one of the most powerful books I have ever read."

About this edition

• Publisher: Prometheus
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1633885305
• ISBN 13: 9781633885301
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352