Aristocratic Voices

Forgotten Arguments about Virtue, Authority, and Inequality

Inbunden, Engelska, 2025

AvRichard Avramenko,Ethan Alexander-Davey

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In the 21st century, political debates appear to center on fundamental conflicts between “the people” and “elites.” Most of these discussions emphasize strategies to protect and empower the oppressed masses against a predatory ruling class. Much of classical political thought, however, was written from an aristocratic point of view: that is, it ascribed paramount importance to the question of elite formation. Assuming inequality as a permanent feature of human associations, what virtues would elites need to have, what institutions and traditions would cultivate the best qualities in members of the ruling class, and curb their extravagances. Aristocratic Voices: Forgotten Arguments about Virtue, Authority, and Inequality consists of essays by political theorists who explore these questions in the works of aristocratic thinkers, both ancient and modern. The volume includes analyses of aristocratic virtues, interpretations of aristocratic assemblies and constitutions, both historic and contemporary, as well as critiques of liberal virtues and institutions. Essays on Plutarch, Nicholas of Cusa, Marsilius of Padua, Sir Thomas Elyot, John Henry Newman, Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl, Henry Adams, Friedrich Nietzsche, Irving Babbitt, Oswald Spengler, Julius Evola, and Robert Nisbet explore ways of preserving and adapting the valuable aspects of the aristocratic ethos to the needs of modern societies.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2025-01-29
Mått152 x 229 x 32 mm
Vikt772 g
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
SeriePolitical Theory for Today
Antal sidor420
FörlagBloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN9781666933147

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Statsvetenskap och politisk teori inom Samhälle och politik

Chapter 1. Aristocrat as Citizen, Citizen as Aristocrat: Plutarch’s Spartan, Rousseau’s General Will, and Tocqueville’s AmericansChapter 2. Representation, Consent and the Aristocratic Ethos: Two Late Medieval TheoriesChapter 3. Consent of the Governed, Natural Law, and Religious Toleration in the Pre-Liberal TraditionChapter 4. Thomas Elyot and Self-Government – Why the Rulers of Realms Must also Rule ThemselvesPart Two: Modern Aristocratic VoicesChapter 5. Vico and the Aristocratic Origin of Political OrderChapter 6. Newman’s Fearful Gentleman: Discourse Eight of The Idea of a UniversityChapter 7. W.H. Riehl’s Cure for Modernity: A Defense of National, Regional, and Social DifferentiationChapter 8. Henry Adams: An Aristocrat Out of TimeChapter 9. Against the Tarantulas: Nietzsche on AristocracyChapter 10. Irving Babbitt on Democracy and LeadershipChapter 11. Oswald Spengler, Aristocratic Virtues, Democracy, and the Decline and Death Of The West Chapter 12. Julius Evola’s Aristocratic Critique of MachiavellianismChapter 13. Authority, Hierarchy, and the Social Bond in the Aristocratic Mind of Robert Nisbet

The crisis faced by liberal democracies over the past several years shows that, not only do leaders matter, but their character matters when it comes to promoting the common good. The crisis has sharpened to the point whereby widespread doubts concerning the ability of liberal democracies to produce virtuous leaders, rather than technocrats, experts, or oligarchs. This makes it necessary to consider long neglected aristocratic voices for understanding the true meaning of “rule of the best,” and how it contributes to the good regime. Richard Avramenko and Ethan Alexander-Davey have convened a council of notables to stand upon the shoulders of ancient and modern giants of political thought, and to explore this important question of our time.