America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for EmpireClaes G. Ryn Routledge, 05.07.2017 - 234 Seiten Urged on by a powerful ideological and political movement, George W. Bush committed the United States to a quest for empire. American values and principles were universal, he asserted, and should guide the transformation of the world. Claes Ryn sees this drive for virtuous empire as the triumph of forces that in the last several decades acquired decisive influence in both the American parties, the foreign policy establishment, and the media.Public intellectuals like William Bennett, Charles Krauthammer, William Kristol, Michael Novak, Richard Perle, and Norman Podhoretz argued that the United States was an exceptional nation and should bring "democracy," "freedom," and "capitalism" to countries not yet enjoying them. Ryn finds the ideology of American empire strongly reminiscent of the French Jacobinism of the eighteenth century. He describes the drive for armed world hegemony as part of a larger ideological whole that both expresses and aggravates a crisis of democracy and, more generally, of American and Western civilization. America the Virtuous sees the new Jacobinism as symptomatic of America shedding an older sense of the need for restraints on power. Checks provided by the US Constitution have been greatly weakened with the erosion of traditional moral and other culture. |
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... created by my scholarly endeavors. An article titled “The Ideology of American Empire,” which was adapted from a chapter of this book, appeared in Orbis. A Journal of World Affairs, vol. 47, no. 3 (Summer 2003). The publisher of that ...
... created by my scholarly endeavors. An article titled “The Ideology of American Empire,” which was adapted from a chapter of this book, appeared in Orbis. A Journal of World Affairs, vol. 47, no. 3 (Summer 2003). The publisher of that ...
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... Western society in the last couple of centuries. It also owes greatly to the specific and very diligent efforts of individuals bent on the creation of an American empire. Since the United States was formed there 1 Prologue: War without End.
... Western society in the last couple of centuries. It also owes greatly to the specific and very diligent efforts of individuals bent on the creation of an American empire. Since the United States was formed there 1 Prologue: War without End.
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... creating arrogance and saber rattling is not adherence to old Western moral and cultural traditions but an unwillingness to heed them. A casual observer may be struck most by the lack of direction of the present evolution of Western ...
... creating arrogance and saber rattling is not adherence to old Western moral and cultural traditions but an unwillingness to heed them. A casual observer may be struck most by the lack of direction of the present evolution of Western ...
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... created various religious, social, and political supports for this effort. It has sought to subordinate the pursuit of power to life's higher purposes. By checking and subduing it, civilization at its best has reduced the incidence of ...
... created various religious, social, and political supports for this effort. It has sought to subordinate the pursuit of power to life's higher purposes. By checking and subduing it, civilization at its best has reduced the incidence of ...
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... created values.”9 The implication was clear: To spread American values was to be on the side of God, to resist them was to oppose God. Often in his public statements the president appeared to be under the influence of a triumphalist ...
... created values.”9 The implication was clear: To spread American values was to be on the side of God, to resist them was to oppose God. Often in his public statements the president appeared to be under the influence of a triumphalist ...
Inhalt
1 | |
1 The Crisis of Western Civilization and the Rise of Jacobinism | 15 |
2 The New Jacobinism | 25 |
3 Creative Traditionalism or Radicalism? | 43 |
Plebiscitary or Constitutional? | 49 |
5 Contrasting Forms of Morality and Society | 55 |
6 Aristocratic and AntiAristocratic Democracy | 59 |
7 The Father of Democratism | 71 |
11 Democracy in Peril | 97 |
12 The New Jacobins and American Democracy | 111 |
13 Democracy for the World | 123 |
14 Jacobin Capitalism | 145 |
15 Equality | 155 |
16 A Center that Cannot Hold | 165 |
17 Responsible Nationhood | 177 |
A New Moral Realism | 189 |
8 Love of Ones Own and Love of the Common | 77 |
A Philosophical Interlude | 83 |
10 Pluralistic Political Morality | 89 |
Index | 213 |
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire Claes G. Ryn Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2017 |
America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire Claes G. Ryn Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2011 |
America the Virtuous: The Crisis of Democracy and the Quest for Empire Claes G. Ryn Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2003 |
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
abstract American appear assertive assumed become beliefs Bloom called capitalism cause central Christian circumstances civilization Closing common conservatives consider Constitution continue created criticism cultural danger defend democracy democratism desire direction discussion distinction diversity dominate elites empire equality especially example existence follow force foreign policy Founding Framers freedom French give groups historical human ideas ideology important individuals influence institutions intellectual interests Jacobins kind leading less liberals lives major means ment military mind moral nature neo-Jacobin opportunity origins particular person philosophical political popular possible practical present president principles problems question radical reason recognize regard regimes represented require respect responsibility role Rousseau rule sense shaped social society standards strong thinking thought tion traditional understand United universal values virtue virtuous Washington West Western Western civilization wish