The Cultural Contradictions of Democracy : Political Thought Since September 11

Since 9/11, American foreign policy has been guided by grand ideas like tyranny, democracy, and freedom. And yet the course of events has played havoc with the cherished assumptions of hawks and doves alike. The geo-civil war afflicting the Muslim world from Lebanon through Iraq and Afghanistan to Pakistan confronts the West with the need to articulate anew what its political ideas and ideals actually are. In The Cultural Contradictions of Democracy , John Brenkman dissects the rhetoric that has corrupted today's political discourse and abused the idea of freedom and democracy in foreign affairs. Looking back to the original assumptions and contradictions that animate democratic thought, he attempts to resuscitate the language of liberty and give political debate a fresh basis amid the present global turmoil. The Cultural Contradictions of Democracy picks apart the intellectual design and messianic ambitions of the neoconservative American foreign policy articulated by figures such as Robert Kagan and Paul Berman; it casts the same critical eye on a wide range of liberal and leftist thinkers, including Noam Chomsky and Jürgen Habermas, and probes the severe crisis that afflicts progressive political thought. Brenkman draws on the contrary visions of Hobbes, Kant, Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, and Isaiah Berlin in order to disclose the new contours of conflict in the age of geo-civil war, and to illuminate the challenges and risks of contemporary democracy. The Cultural Contradictions Of Democracy Picks Apart The Intellectual Design And Messianic Ambitions Of The Neoconservative American Foreign Policy Articulated By Figures Such As Robert Kagan And Paul Berman; It Casts The Same Critical Eye On A Wide Range Of Liberal And Leftist Thinkers, Including Noam Chomsky And Jurgen Habermas, And Probes The Severe Crisis That Afflicts Progressive Political Thought. Brenkman Draws On The Contrary Visions Of Hobbes, Kant, Max Weber, Hannah Arendt, And Isaiah Berlin In Order To Disclose The New Contours Of Conflict In The Age Of Geo-civil War, And To Illuminate The Challenges And Risks Of Contemporary Democracy.--jacket. Introduction: Political Thought In The Fog Of War -- War And Democracy -- Hobbes Versus Kant? -- Leviathan -- The Neoconservative Illusion -- The Frailty Of Human Affairs -- Crises Of The Republic -- The Argument -- Seized By Power -- Death And The Governor Of Texas -- The New American Exceptionalism -- The Cold Warrior Myth -- Kant With Arendt -- Targeting Iraq -- Al Qaeda And Ultimate Ends -- A Grammar Of Motives -- The Imagination Of Power -- State Of Exception -- Arendt Versus Agamben -- Schmitt And Hobbes -- Decision And Covenant -- The Ordeal Of Universalism -- September 11 And Fables Of The Left -- First Response -- Multilateral Ambivalence -- Terrorism As Symptom -- Chomskian Certitudes -- Hardt And Negri's Empire -- The Multitude And Prophecy -- Iraq : Delirium Of War, Delusions Of Peace -- The Idealism Of Means -- The Idealism Of Ends -- Neither Left Nor Right -- The Atlantic Misalliance -- Diplomatic Intrigues And Political Truths -- Repudiations Of The Un Left And Right -- The Hobbesian Nightmare : Occupied Iraq -- The Ordeal Of Universalism -- Democracy And War -- Postnational Cosmopolitanism Versus Liberal Nationalism? -- Kant With Hobbes -- Habermas's Agon With Schmitt -- Hobbes With Kant -- Europe, Or, The Empire Of Rights -- Islam's Geo-civil War -- Global Neoliberal Religious Conservatism? -- No Exit -- Conclusion: Prelude To The Unknown -- Ideas And Errors -- Arendt With Berlin -- Liberty Without Democracy Versus Democracy Without Liberty? -- Democratic Striving And Sectarian Mobilization -- Untimely Meditation. John Brenkman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. CONTENTS......Page 8 War and Democracy......Page 14 Hobbes versus Kant?......Page 17 Leviathan......Page 19 The Neoconservative Illusion......Page 22 The Frailty of Human A.airs......Page 25 Crises of the Republic......Page 27 The Argument......Page 32 Death and the Governor of Texas......Page 37 The New American Exceptionalism......Page 41 The Cold Warrior Myth......Page 47 Kant with Arendt......Page 50 Targeting Iraq......Page 54 Al Qaeda and Ultimate Ends......Page 56 A Grammar of Motives......Page 59 State of Exception......Page 64 Arendt versus Agamben......Page 68 Schmitt and Hobbes......Page 72 Decision and Covenant......Page 77 The Ordeal of Universalism......Page 84 First Response......Page 91 Multilateral Ambivalence......Page 94 Terrorism as Symptom......Page 97 Chomskian Certitudes......Page 100 Hardt and Negri’s Empire......Page 107 The Multitude and Prophecy......Page 111 The Idealism of Means......Page 116 The Idealism of Ends......Page 119 Neither Left nor Right......Page 123 The Atlantic Misalliance......Page 130 Diplomatic Intrigues and Political Truths......Page 135 Repudiations of the UN Left and Right......Page 139 The Hobbesian Nightmare: Occupied Iraq......Page 144 Democracy and War......Page 150 Postnational Cosmopolitanism versus Liberal Nationalism?......Page 154 Kant with Hobbes......Page 157 Habermas’s Agon with Schmitt......Page 159 Hobbes with Kant......Page 165 Europe, or, the Empire of Rights......Page 170 Islam’s Geo-Civil War......Page 178 Global Neoliberal Religious Conservatism?......Page 183 No Exit......Page 190 Ideas and Errors......Page 195 Arendt with Berlin......Page 196 Liberty without Democracy versus Democracy without Liberty?......Page 201 Democratic Striving and Sectarian Mobilization......Page 204 Untimely Meditation......Page 208 D......Page 214 I......Page 215 P......Page 216 V......Page 217 Z......Page 218