The Primacy of the Political: A History of Political Thought from the Greeks to the French and American Revolutions (Columbia Studies in Political Thought Political History)

The conflict between politics and antipolitics has replayed throughout Western history and philosophical thought. From the beginning, Plato's quest for absolute certainty led him to denounce democracy, an anti-political position challenged by Aristotle. In his wide-ranging narrative, Dick Howard puts this dilemma into fresh perspective, proving our contemporary political problems are not as unique as we think. Howard begins with democracy in ancient Greece and the rise and fall of republican politics in Rome. In the wake of Rome's collapse, political thought searched for a new medium, and the conflict between politics and antipolitics reemerged through the contrasting theories of Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas. During the Renaissance and Reformation, the emergence of the modern individual again transformed the terrain of the political. Even so, politics vs. antipolitics dominated the period, frustrating even Machiavelli, who sought to reconceptualize the nature of political thought. Hobbes and Locke, theorists of the social contract, then reenacted the conflict, which Rousseau sought (in vain) to overcome. Adam Smith and the growth of modern economic liberalism, the radicalism of the French revolution, and the conservative reaction of Edmund Burke subsequently marked the triumph of antipolitics, while the American Revolution momentarily offered the potential for a renewal of politics. Taken together, these historical examples, viewed through the prism of philosophy, reveal the roots of today's political climate and the trajectory of battles yet to come. The conflict between politics and antipolitics has replayed itself throughout Western history and philosophical thought. Plato's quest for absolute certainty led him to denounce political democracy, an anti-political position later challenged by Aristotle. This back-and-forth exchange came to a head at the time of the American and French revolutions. Through this wide-ranging narrative, Dick Howard throws new light on a recurring philosophical dilemma, proving our political problems are not as unique as we think. Howard begins with democracy in ancient Greece and the rise and fall of republican politics in Rome. In the wake of Rome's collapse, political thought searched for a new medium, and the conflict between politics and antipolitics reemerged through the contrasting theories of Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas. During the Renaissance and the Reformation, the emergence of the modern individual again shifted the terrain. Even so, politics vs. antipolitics dominated the period, frustrating even Machiavelli, who sought to reconceptualize the nature of political thought. Hobbes and Locke, theorists of the social contract, then reenacted the conflict, which Rousseau sought (in vain) to overcome. Adam Smith and the growth of modern economic liberalism, the radicalism of the French revolution, and the conservative reaction of Edmund Burke subsequently marked the triumph of antipolitics, and the American Revolution may have offered the potential groundwork for a renewal of politics. Taken together, these historical examples, viewed through the prism of philosophy, reveal the roots of today's political climate and suggest the trajectory of the battles yet to come Contents......Page 6 A Note to the Reader......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 16 Introduction: Democracy and the Renewal of Political Thought......Page 20 1. The Rise and Fall of Athenian Democracy......Page 40 2. The Rise and Fall of Roman Republicanism......Page 105 3. The Conflict of the Sacred and the Secular......Page 144 4. Facing the Challenge of Modernity......Page 181 5. Modern Individualism and Political Obligation......Page 227 6. The End of Political Philosophy?......Page 289 Conclusion: Elements for a Democratic Renewal......Page 346 Notes......Page 354 Glossary......Page 374 Index......Page 396 Contents 6 A Note to the Reader 8 Acknowledgments 16 Introduction: Democracy and the Renewal of Political Thought 20 1. The Rise and Fall of Athenian Democracy 40 2. The Rise and Fall of Roman Republicanism 105 3. The Conflict of the Sacred and the Secular 144 4. Facing the Challenge of Modernity 181 5. Modern Individualism and Political Obligation 227 6. The End of Political Philosophy? 289 Conclusion: Elements for a Democratic Renewal 346 Notes 354 Glossary 374 Index 396 ISBN,9780231135948,(cloth,:,alk.,paper),ISBN,9780231135955,(pbk.,:,alk.,paper),ISBN,9780231509756,(ebook) Columbia University Press The Rise And Fall Of Athenian Democracy -- The Rise And Fall Of Roman Republicanism -- The Conflict Of The Sacred And The Secular -- Facing The Challenge Of Modernity -- Modern Individualism And Political Obligation -- The End Of Political Philosophy? Dick Howard. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.