The Pluralist State: The Political Ideas Of J.n. Figgis And His Contemporaries (st Antony's Series)

This book presents a critical account of the political pluralism of Figgis, Laski and other English writers of the early twentieth century, indicating its whig roots in the previous century. Pluralists believed in liberty, preserved by power decentralised, and in group personality. Theories of sovereignty were rejected and a distinctive understanding of the state proposed. Pluralism is particularly relevant to a world where the omnicompetent state has increasingly been called into question and federal structures of authority are the order of the day. This is an extensively revised and expanded version of the first edition of 1975. The book focuses on the political pluralism of J. N. Figgis, discussing its roots in the whig ideas of Acton, and the legal theories of Maitland and Gierke, reviewing its development in the writings of Harold Laski, G. D. H. Cole, Bertrand Russell and others. Pluralism rests on three pillars: liberty as a fundamental political value, best preserved by a division of power; a rejection of state sovereignty; and a belief in the personality of groups. Pluralist ideas of the relationship of state, group and individual are critically examined, and a chapter is devoted to authority within the group, taking the church as an instance. The book discusses the ideological and institutional conditions necessary for sustaining a pluralist and secular state. It is argued that pluralist theory is highly relevant to an age which has lost faith in the omnicompetent state, and to a situation where ethnic distinctions are becoming increasingly salient. 1. Parentalism And Pluralism -- 2. Liberty And The Division Of Power -- 3. The Attack On Sovereignty -- 4. Group Personality -- 5. The State, The Group And The Individual -- 6. Ideological Foundations Of A Pluralist State -- 7. Authority In The Church -- 8. Conclusion -- App. A. 'the Church And The Secular Theory Of The State' / J. N. Figgis -- App. B. 'church And State' / J. N. Figgis -- App. C. 'the Pluralistic State' / H. J. Laski -- App. D. 'moral Personality And Legal Personality' / F. W. Maitland. David Nicholls. In Association With St Antony's College, Oxford. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 180-186) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xx Parentalism and Pluralism....Pages 1-17 Liberty and the Division of Power....Pages 18-37 The Attack on Sovereignty....Pages 38-55 Group Personality....Pages 56-74 The State, the Group and the Individual....Pages 75-95 The Ideological Foundations of a Secular State....Pages 96-110 Authority in the Church....Pages 111-125 Conclusions....Pages 126-135 Back Matter....Pages 136-190 This is a critical account of the political pluralism of Figg's, Laski and other English writers of the early 20th century, indicating its whig roots in the previous century. Pluralists believed in liberty, preserved by power decentralized, and in group personality.