Rediscovering Political Friendship - Aristotle's Theory and Modern Identity, Community, and Equality

Aristotle argued that citizenship is like friendship, and this book applies his argument to modern society. Modern citizens may lack the concept of civic friendship, but they persist in many practices and passions that were once considered essential to it. Citizens share many similarities with friends: prejudices held in common, favoritism towards each other, and - despite disagreement on specifics - underlying agreement about what is important, such as freedom and equality. Aristotle's theory reminds us that civic friendship is a factual condition of healthy societies, not a pie-in-the-sky ideal. By recognizing when it occurs and understanding it, we can build on it to counteract societal polarization. Civic friendship offers an alternative to populism and nationalism by engaging some of the same passions. In an era increasingly marked by tribalism and identity politics, this timely study will be of interest to a wide range of readers in political science, classics, and philosophy. Liberal Democracy Has Always Relied On Civic Friendship Without Acknowledging It. Though Lacking The Concept, Modern Citizens Persist In Many Practices And Passions Once Considered Civic Friendship: Prejudices Held In Common, Favoritism For Each Other And, Despite Disagreeing On Specifics, Overwhelming Support For The Assumptions Of Our Regime: Freedom And Equality. Aristotle's Theory Reminds Us That Civic Friendship Is A Factual Condition Of Healthy Societies, Not A Pie-in-the-sky Ideal. Liberal Civic Friendship Finds Identity In Vocations Instead Of Ethnicity Or Class. It Moves Beyond Communitarianism, Which Is Limited By Geography And Religion. Civic Friendship Opposes Economic Models Of Society, Joining Hands With Later Classical Liberals To Criticize Rational Self-interest As An Ideology That Obscures The Emotional Attachments At Work Under Its Guise. Civic Friendship Is Simultaneously Progressive And Socially Conservative. Treated Cautiously, It Offers An Alternative To Populism By Engaging Some Of The Same Passions. By Recognizing And Understanding Civic Friendship, We Can Build On It To Counteract The Current Polarization-- Paul W. Ludwig, St. John's College, Annapolis. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Liberal democracy has always relied on civic friendship without acknowledging it. Though lacking the concept, modern citizens persist in many practices and passions once considered civic friendship: prejudices held in common, favoritism for each other and, despite disagreeing on specifics, overwhelming support for the assumptions of our regime: freedom and equality. Aristotle's theory reminds us that civic friendship is a factual condition of healthy societies, not a pie-in-the-sky ideal. Liberal civic friendship finds identity in vocations instead of ethnicity or class. It moves beyond communitarianism, which is limited by geography and religion. Civic friendship opposes economic models of society, joining hands with later classical liberals to criticize "rational self-interest" as an ideology that obscures the emotional attachments at work under its guise. Civic friendship is simultaneously progressive and socially conservative. Treated cautiously, it offers an alternative to populism by engaging some of the same passions. By recognizing and understanding civic friendship, we can build on it to counteract the current polarization"-- Provided by publisher "Liberal democracy has always relied on civic friendship without acknowledging it. Though lacking the concept, modern citizens persist in many practices and passions once considered civic friendship: prejudices held in common, favoritism for each other and, despite disagreeing on specifics, overwhelming support for the assumptions of our regime: freedom and equality. Aristotle's theory reminds us that civic friendship is a factual condition of healthy societies, not a pie-in-the-sky ideal. Liberal civic friendship finds identity in vocations instead of ethnicity or class. It moves beyond communitarianism, which is limited by geography and religion. Civic friendship opposes economic models of society, joining hands with later classical liberals to criticize "rational self-interest" as an ideology that obscures the emotional attachments at work under its guise. Civic friendship is simultaneously progressive and socially conservative. Treated cautiously, it offers an alternative to populism by engaging some of the same passions. By recognizing and understanding civic friendship, we can build on it to counteract the current polarization"--Résumé de l'éditeur Preface and acknowledgments Introduction Part I. Foundations of Friendship: 1. Friendship from identity: recognizing anger in the politics of recognition 2. Friendships from utility and activity: toward a more realistic social policy (and more idealistic civil society) Part II. Where is Civic Friendship Today?: 3. How associations replaced civic friendships: why altruism conspires with self-interest to produce the 'free rider' 4. Why associations are really civic friendships: finding the balance between associations and the state Part III. A Different Way to View Liberalism: 5. From communitarianism to civic friendship: broadening out beyond associations 6. Commercial society and civic friendship: property and liberty are preconditions of friendship 7. Mass society and civic friendship: the basic agreement that citizens cherish Part IV. Conclusion: 8. What is the use of civic friendship: sheltering liberal practices from the effects of liberal theory List of works cited Index. This book applies Aristotle's argument - that citizenship is like friendship - to modern society. Emotional bonds often grow around shared utilities such as trade, common defense and the regime, each contributing to a (limited) form of friendship. By recognizing and understanding civic friendship, we can build on it to counteract societal polarization.