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Conservatism

Conservatism

Burke, Nozick, Bush, Blair?

by Ted Honderich

New edition of a classic philosophical text that critiques the conservative tradition in US and UK politics.
This is a new edition of a classic work by one of the world's leading progressive political philosophers. Ted Honderich examines ideology and reality in British and American politics
in order to establish the true distinctions of conservatism.

Conservatives often claim to believe in reform, but not change, to rely on instinct rather than abstract theories. So what is the conservative rationale? Does conservatism have a philosophical founding principle that unifies it?

Ted Honderich’s search for the fundamental principle of conservatism is an enlightening one. He examines influential thinkers in the conservative tradition, from Edmund Burke and Adam Smith to Michael Oakeshott and Robert Nozick. He brings rigorous analytic philosophy to bear on the Republican party in the United States, and the Conservative party and the New Labour party in Britain.

Ted Honderich (1933 – 2024) was a philosopher who also studied political violence. He was a Professor at the University of Sussex and later Grote Professor at University College London. He gained notoriety after publishing After the Terror in 2003, in which he claimed that Palestinians had a 'moral right to their terrorism'. He authored numerous books including A Theory of Determinism and Conservatism: Burke, Nozick, Bush, Blair?. He published his autobiography Philosopher: A Kind of Life in 2001.

'A tumultuous onslaught ... a substantial piece of work' - Anthony Quinton, The Times '[A] powerful critique of the major beliefs of modern conservatism ... [Honderich] shows how much a rigourous philosopher can contribute to understanding the fashionable but deeply ruinous absurdities of his times.' - Bhiku Parekh, New Statesman 'The whole book must be read. Indeed only the final page, like a good detective story, brings with it the full philosophical discovery' - Michael Foot, Observer '[An] extended analysis of conservative political theory by an eminent radical philosopher ... a significant and timely event' - Noel O'Sullivan, Utilitas 'My schematic outline doesn't begin to convey the passion that informs the analyses in Conservatism, nor does it suggest the wealth of arguments it contains. Well argued or badly argued, Conservatism is relentlessly, fiercely argued.' - Robert Fullinwider, Philosophical Books 'Ted Honderich's self-righteousness may not reach to the height of a Robespierre or a Lenin; but it is for all that alarming. Given his failure of imagination concerning every experience and opinion that he does not share, one must hope that he remains confined to a university chair' - Roger Scruton, Philosophical Quarterly
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Change And Reform
2. Theory, Other Thinking, Incentives
3. Human Nature, Dealing With It
4. Freedoms
5. Governments
6. Societies
7. Equalities
8. Desert, Conclusions
Notes
Index
Published by Pluto Press in Jan 2005
Paperback ISBN: 9780745321295

135mm x 215mm