Using Political Ideas

Barbara Goodwin is Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. Her books include Justice by Lottery (2005) and Ethics at Work (2000) and several books on the political importance of utopian ideas. She has broadcast two series of programmes about democracy on the BBC World Service. Her interests range widely in politics, philosophy and social science.

• About the Author xiiiPreface to the Sixth Edition xvPART I INTRODUCTIONChapter 1 What is Political Theory? 3Chapter 2 Ideology 19Marx on Ideology 20‘Ideology’ Since Marx 23Conceptual Problems 29PART II IDEOLOGIESChapter 3 Liberalism 39The Ingredients of Liberalism 41The Liberal Model: Perpetual Motion? 51Why Does the Liberal Value the Individual so Highly? 55Do I Know My Own Interests? 58Liberals and Welfare States 61Liberalism Today 65Chapter 4 Marxism 73Problems in Reading Marx 74The Vocabulary of the Dialectic 76Marx’s Economics 79The Social Consequences 82History and Revolution 84Communist Society 89Criticizing Marx 91The Evolution of Marxism 96Revisionism and Recantation 102Chapter 5 Socialism 107The Nucleus of Socialism 108The Changing Face of Socialism 117Objections to Socialism 124The Contradictions of Social Democracy 127Chapter 6 Anarchism 133The Critique of Authority 135The Anarchist Order 138The Moral Basis of Anarchist Society 138Freedom within Society 141Order without Dependence 143Anarchist Individualism 146Anarchist Values 148Contemporary Anarchism 149Objections to Anarchist Theory 151The Ethics of Violence 152Chapter 7 Conservatism 161Against Change 162The Virtues of Tradition 166Human Imperfection and Inequality 168Conservative Politics 171The Conservative Mentality 174Conservatism Today 177Ideology or Intuition? 179Chapter 8 Authoritarian Ideologies: 183Contrasting Dystopias 185 The Term ‘Totalitarianism’ 188The ‘Phenomenological’ Approach 189The ‘Essentialist’ Analysis 191Fascism as Totalitarianism 198Fascism as Ideology 199The Psychological Roots of Totalitarianism 203Fundamentalist Authoritarianism 205Totalitarianism Reconsidered 209Chapter 9 Feminism 217The Demonization of Women, and of Feminism 218Feminists and Human Nature 220Gendered Society 223Patriarchal Society 225Women and Capitalism 228Oppression 232Feminist Strategies 239Feminism as Ideology 247Chapter 10 Green Ideologies 253Shades of Green 255Economic Arguments 257Anti-Pollution Arguments 262Moral Arguments 264Green Utopias 267Problematic Questions 271Green Successes 277Chapter 11 Beyond Ideology: Nationalism 281 What is a Nation? 283The Incoherence of Nationalism 285The Origins of Nationalism 289Is Nationalism an Ideology? 291Nationalism, Liberalism and Democracy 294Rights of Secession 295Objections to Nationalism 298PART III IDEASChapter 12 Democracy 305The Classical Ideal 306Elitists and Pluralists 311‘Radical’ Democracy 315Democracy’s Paradox 320The Problem of Minorities 322Democracy and Liberalism 325Democracy and Truth 328The Will of the People 331New Forms of Democracy 333Chapter 13 Power, Authority and the State 341What is Power? 342What Creates Authority? 346Power and Authority 350The State Leviathan 351Chapter 14 Freedom and Rights 361The Meaning of Freedom 362Varieties of Freedom 364Freedom and Illusion 368The ‘Rights of Man’ 371Human Rights 373Special Rights for Women? 377Rights and Liberty 380The Climate of Tolerance 382Chapter 15 Citizenship, Obligation and Protest 389Contractual Obligation 391The Just Government 396Self-Interest and Gratitude 398Why Do I Obey the Law? 400The Right to Protest 402The Scope of Protest 406The Right of Revolution 410Chapter 16 Social Justice and Equality 415The Criteria for Justice 417Liberal, Socialist and ‘Natural’ Justice 420Retributive Justice 428What is Justice? 430Nations and Generations 432Justice and Equality 435Chapter 17 New Political Dimensions 443Religion and Politics 444Multiculturalism, Diversity and Identity Politics 447Globalization and Global Terrorism 450Glossary 455Index 469