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Conditions of Liberty: Civil Society and its Rivals

  • Book
  • 1994
  • #SocialScience
Ernest Gellner
@ErnestGellner
(Author)
www.goodreads.com
Paperback
5.0/5 5 ratings
Paperback Hardcover
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3.83/5 43 ratings
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As Ernest Gellner shows in this path-breaking book, the most significant difference between communism (and other totalitarian ideologies) and Western liberalism is the existence of... Show More

As Ernest Gellner shows in this path-breaking book, the most significant difference between communism (and other totalitarian ideologies) and Western liberalism is the existence of the civil society - the intermediary institutions like trade unions, political parties, religions, pressure groups and clubs which fill the gap between the family and the state. Under communism the civil society was suppressed. In liberal democracy it thrives. If life is to improve in Eastern Europe, the civil society must be encouraged to grow and prosper: the early signs - as observed by the doyen of British social anthropology - are good. The contrast with militant Islam is extraordinary: while Marxism as a faith has collapsed, Islam has been growing ever stronger. In fundamentalist states like Iran there is little civil society and apparently not much pressure for one, either. Why is there so little resistance or opposition? How can this be understood? This is an extremely important book and a major contribution to the 'end of history' debate by one of the most distinguished scholars working in Europe today.

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Number of Pages: 240

ISBN: 0140236058

ISBN-13: 9780140236057

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Henry Farrell @henryfarrell ยท Apr 17, 2022
  • Curated in Fundamental readings (a) by social scientists and (b) relatively unknown among non-social scientists
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  • Henry Farrell
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    Fundamental readings (a) by social scientists and (b) relatively unknown among non-social scientists
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