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Politics and Vision

Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought - Expanded Edition
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( 239 ratings, 25 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Politics and Vision by Sheldon S. Wolin explores the evolution of political theory from ancient to modern times, examining how various philosophers have conceptualised political power and democracy. The book delves into how vision and imagination have shaped political thought, providing a comprehensive historical analysis of key political ideas. Its updated edition continues to address contemporary political challenges, reflecting on the complexities of power in modern society.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring how political theory has evolved alongside historical events and how it influences modern political practices. This work delves deep into the relationship between political visions and their implications on governance and democracy, offering a rich tapestry that will appeal to anyone keen on understanding the philosophical underpinnings of political systems.

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Politics and Vision is a landmark work by one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century. This is a significantly expanded edition of one of the greatest works of modern political theory. Sheldon Wolin's Politics and Vision inspired and instructed two generations of political theorists after its appearance in 1960. Substantially expanded for re

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Politics and Vision is a landmark work by one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century. This is a significantly expanded edition of one of the greatest works of modern political theory. Sheldon Wolin's Politics and Vision inspired and instructed two generations of political theorists after its appearance in 1960.

Substantially expanded for republication in 2004, it is both a sweeping survey of Western political thought and a powerful account of contemporary predicaments of power and democracy. In lucid and compelling prose, Sheldon Wolin offers original, subtle, and often surprising interpretations of political theorists from Plato to Rawls. Situating them historically while sounding their depths, he critically engages their diverse accounts of politics, theory, power, justice, citizenship, and institutions.

The new chapters, which show how thinkers have grappled with the immense possibilities and dangers of modern power, are themselves a major theoretical statement. They culminate in Wolin's remarkable argument that the United States has invented a new political form, "inverted totalitarianism," in which economic rather than political power is dangerously dominant.

In this expanded edition, the book that helped to define political theory in the late twentieth century should energise, enlighten, and provoke generations of scholars to come. Wolin originally wrote Politics and Vision to challenge the idea that political analysis should consist simply of the neutral observation of objective reality. He argues that political thinkers must also rely on creative vision. Wolin shows that great theorists have been driven to shape politics to some vision of the Good that lies outside the existing political order.

As he tells it, the history of theory is thus, in part, the story of changing assumptions about the Good. Acclaimed as a tour de force when it was first published, and a major scholarly event when the expanded edition appeared, Politics and Vision will instruct, inspire, and provoke for generations to come.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Politics and Vision by Sheldon S. Wolin is highly regarded for its comprehensive exploration of Western political thought. Its original edition was praised for offering an insightful and independent interpretation of politics. The expanded edition adds a chilling perspective on the potential decline of politics in contemporary society, making it a remarkable and thought-provoking achievement.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691174051

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 12 September 2016

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Edition: Expanded Edition

Contributors:

  • Foreword by Wendy Brown

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 794g

Pages: 792

About the Author

Sheldon S. Wolin (19222015) was professor emeritus of politics at Princeton University. He taught political theory for forty years and was the founding editor of the journal Democracy. Wendy Brown is Class of 1936 First Chair of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

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