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History and Illusion in Politics

Raymond Geuss author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:28th Jun '01

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The distinguished political philosopher Raymond Geuss examines critically the central topics in western political thought.

The distinguished political philosopher Raymond Geuss examines critically the central topics in western political thought, including the state, authority, toleration, democracy, freedom and human rights. This is a profound and concise essay on the basic structure of contemporary politics, written throughout in a voice that is sceptical, engaged, and clear.The distinguished political philosopher Raymond Geuss examines critically some of the most widely held and important preconceptions about contemporary politics held in advanced Western societies. In a series of analytically focused chapters Dr Geuss discusses the state, authority, violence and coercion, the concept of legitimacy, liberalism, toleration, freedom, democracy, and human rights. He argues that the liberal democratic state committed to the defense of human rights is a historically contingent conjunction of disparate elements that do not fit together coherently. One of Geuss's most striking claims is that it makes sense to speak of rights only relative to a mechanism for enforcing them, and that therefore the whole concept of a 'human right', as it is commonly used in contemporary political philosophy, is a confusion. This is a profound and concise essay on the basic structure of contemporary politics, written throughout in a voice that is sceptical, engaged, and clear.

"...impressive..." Ethics
"Writing in a clear, analytic style that avoids superficial logic chopping, Guess (Cambridge) argues that the elements underlying much contemporary thinking about liberal democratic states with capitalist economies and a commitment to human rights--conjunctions resulting from contingne thistorical processes--are often conceptually confused and incoherent.... The book would serve as an excellent resource for both graduate and undergraduate students. Highly recommended." Choice

ISBN: 9780521000437

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 11mm

Weight: 280g

184 pages