Haves without have-nots : essays for the 21st century on democracy and socialism

Essays discuss Abraham Lincoln, Judge Bork, the decline of Communism, human nature, and the future of democracy.In six didactic essays dedicated to Mikhail Gorbachev, popular philosopher Adler ( Truth in Religion ) examines the spread of capitalism-based constitutional democracy along with the rise of totalitarian communism and its subsequent fall-- due, he avers, to a failure to achieve true economic socialism. Two of these broad-ranging essays, derived from lectures and seminars held at the Aspen Institute of Philosophical Research (headed by the author), contrast the strict constructionism of Judge Robert Bork with Lincoln's philosophy of "unalienable rights" for all, which in Adler's view should include economic rights. Adler concludes, perhaps prematurely, that with the end of conflict between the two systems, democracy--embodying private-property capitalism combined with legislated welfare provisions-- will prevail on a global scale.While diverse, these six essays by the popular philosopher share a unifyingtheme: the merger of capitalism and socialism in a new democratic worldsociety. Arguing that we are creating a society free of the "have-nots,"Adler, author of Intellect: Mind Over Matter ( LJ 2/15/90) and Truth inReligion ( LJ 10/1/90), admirably analyzes the importance of liberaleducation for citizenship, offers useful criticism of Robert Bork'sstrict constructionism, praises Lincoln's stance on human (natural)rights, evaluates recent events in Eastern Europe, and provides atrenchant critique of the existentialist misunderstandings about humannature. Yet, Adler's essays are uneven in quality, and his treatment ofsocialism distorts the meaning and history of that political philosophy.Still, recommended for general and public philosophy collections.- Gordon Tolle, South Dakota State Univ., Brookings