Civil Society : The Critical History of an Idea

In the absence of noble public goals, admired leaders, and compelling issues, many warn of a dangerous erosion of civil society. Are they right? What are the roots and implications of their insistent alarm? How can public life be enriched in a period marked by fraying communities, widespread apathy, and unprecedented levels of contempt for politics? How should we be thinking about civil society? __Civil Society__ examines the historical, political, and theoretical evolution of how civil society has been understood for the past two and a half millennia. From Aristotle and the Enlightenment philosophers to Colin Powell's Volunteers for America, Ehrenberg provides an indispensable analysis of the possibilities-and limits-of what this increasingly important idea can offer to contemporary political affairs. __Civil Society__ is the winner of the Michael J. Harrington Award from the Caucus for a New Political Science of APSA for the best book published during 1999. I. The Origins Of Civil Society. 1. Civil Society And The Classical Heritage. The Danger Of Private Interest. The Mixed Polity. Civil Society And The Res Publica. 2. Civil Society And The Christian Commonwealth. Pride, Faith, And The State. The Christian Commonwealth. Early Fractures. 3. Civil Society And The Transition To Modernity. Virtue And Power. Civil Society And The Liberated Conscience. Sovereignty, Interest, And Civil Society -- Ii. Civil Society And Modernity. 4. The Rise Of Economic Man Rights, Law, And Protected Spheres. The Moral Foundations Of Civil Society. The Emergence Of Bourgeois Civil Society. 5. Civil Society And The State. Civil Society And The Ethical Commonwealth. The Giant Broom The System Of Needs. John Ehrenberg. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 271-279) And Index. This is an examination of the historical, political and theoretical evolution of how civil society has been understood for the last 2500 years. From Aristotle and the Enlightenment philosophers to Colin Powell's Volunteers for America, the author provides an analysis of the possibilities - and limits - of what this concept can offer to contemporary political affairs