Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Raymond Aron: The Recovery of the Political (20th Century Political Thinkers)

This concise and penetrating analysis introduces students to the life and thought of one of the giants of twentieth- century French intellectual life. Portraying Raymond Aron as a great defender of reason, moderation, and political sobriety in an era dominated by ideological fervor and philosophical fashion, Brian Anderson demonstrates the centrality of political reason to Aron's philosophy of history, his critique of ideological thinking, his meditations on the perennial problems of peace and war, and the nature of conservative liberalism. This accessible study of Aron's thought and the thought of his contemporaries will enhance any syllabus for classes on modern and contemporary political thought. Review A compelling examination of Aron's contributions to political theory and practice.--Microsoft Network's Reading Forum, August 1998 [an] engaging and well-structured book . . .--Cécile Laborde, Nuffield Chair in Political Theory, University of Oxford "History of Political Thought " Brian Anderson's elegant book wonderfully captures Aron's recovery of the political as an independent realm of thought and action. One of its great strengths is the way it places Aron's work in fruitful dialogue with other important twentieth-century political thinkers such as Isaiah Berlin, F. A. Hayek, John Rawls, and Leo Strauss. Anderson shows that if political theorists wish to take politics seriously, they must fully confront the work of Aron.--Daniel J. Mahoney, Assumption College Brian C. Anderson attempts to rescue Aron fron relative obscurity by suggesting that what he has to say about modern politics is grounded in a sophisticated understanding of prctical reason. One of the prominent themes of the book is that modern liberal theories have become divorced from the practical concerns and realities of politics through abstract theorizing, which fails to engage with practical politics and lived concerns. Anderson has covered all of these aspects of Aron's work with admirable clarity and has convincingly established the case for understanding Aron's overall intelligibility in terms of political reason. A particular strength of the book is the treatment of Aron's critique of ideology in which the conecpt of a secular religion provides the driving force. The book is to be commended both for the author's lucidity and the strength of the case he makes for taking Aron much more seriously as a social and political analyst.--David Boucher, Professor of Political Philosophy and International Relations, Cardiff University "Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, Vol.36(1) " Anderson makes a good case for Aron's subtlety and intelligence. . . and deserves high praise for explicating and elucidating [Aron's] message with impressive analysis and textual fidelity.--Sanford Lakoff "The Review of Politics, Fall 1998 " One of the great contributions of Brian Anderson's book is to highlight the role of political reason--related to Aristotle's practical wisdom--in the work of Aron. A splendid book, of elegance and distinction.--Michael Novak, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, 1994 Templeton laureate Writing with great clarity of style from a stance of interpretive charity, Anderson helps us to sort out Aron's enormous oeuvre. There is much more to recommend in this densely packed, lucid volume. Anderson's effort to bring the attention of our political theorists back to Aron is worthy of our thanks.--Jean Bethke Elshtain, The Laura Spelman Rockeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics, University of Chicago; author of Just War Against Terror "First Things, Nov. 98 " Brian Anderson's insightful book on Raymond Aron deserves a wide audience. According to Anderson, modern liberal theory lacks an understanding of politics, but a corrective is to be found in Aron's 'conservative liberalism.' An exceptional analysis, and much needed.--Adam Wolfson, Executive Editor, The Public Interest As an