Left and Right: The Significance of a Political Distinction - Couverture souple

Bobbio, Norberto

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0226062465 ISBN 13 : 9780226062464

Editeur : University of Chicago Press, 1997

Synopsis

Politicians and pundits have long disparaged their opponents with polemicist cries of "leftist!" or "rightist!", but with the fall of communism and the recent growth of conservatism many commentators have declared that the traditional left/right distinction has lost its relevance. However, in this study Bobbio asserts that this distinction still endures because it reflects the essential antithetical nature and dynamics of democratic politics. He constructs an historical, analytic division of the political universe along two foundational axes, from equality to inequality, from liberty to authoritarianism. He then charts the past and present tendencies of the left and the right, in both their moderate and more virulently extreme forms. Ultimately, his main contention is that the measure of postmodern democracy will lie on how we position ourselves relative to these critical left/right parameters, and on whether we cast ourselves, our votes and our era in terms of political expediency, social viability or moral responsibility.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Following the collapse of communism and the decline of Marxism, some commentators have claimed that we have reached the ′end of history′ and that the distinction between Left and Right can be forgotten.

In this book – which was a tremendous success in Italy – Norberto Bobbio challenges these views, arguing that the fundamental political distinction between Left and Right, which has shaped the two centuries since the French Revolution, has continuing relevance today.

Bobbio explores the grounds of this elusive distinction and argues that Left and Right are ultimately divided by different attitudes to equality. He carefully defines the nature of equality and inequality in relative rather than absolute terms.

Left and Right is a timely and persuasively argued account of the basic parameters of political action and debate in the modern world – parameters which have remained constant despite the pace of social change. The book will be widely read and, as in Italy, it will have an impact far beyond the academic domain.

Revue de presse

′Are contemporary political issues best understood in left–right terms? With his customary lucidity and wisdom, Professor Bobbio, Italy′s most distinguished political thinker explains the persistence and defends the relevance of the distinction in the face of "the great problem of inequality between people and between the peoples of this world" in a short work that is far–reaching, simple and deep.′ Steven Lukes, European University Institute

′Now, in Norberto Bobbio′s newly translated book, we have the most ingenious and forceful defence of the traditional categories of left and right for many years, and one that will set the standard of argument on the subject for the foreseeable future ... The history of his book illustrates some of the paradoxes of recent political discourse ... simple, lucid ... scrupulous and rigorous analysis.′ John Gray, The Times Higher Education Supplement

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: University of Chicago Press
• Date d'édition: 1997
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0226062465
• ISBN 13: 9780226062464
• Reliure: Broché
• Numéro d'édition: 2
• Nombre de pages: 152
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible