By Jan-Werner Mülller
This publication is the 1st significant account of political proposal in twentieth-century Europe, either West and East, to seem because the finish of the chilly warfare. Skillfully mixing highbrow, political, and cultural historical past, Jan-Werner Müller elucidates the guidelines that formed the interval of ideological extremes prior to 1945 and the liberalization of West eu politics after the second one international warfare. He additionally bargains shiny photographs of well-known in addition to unjustly forgotten political thinkers and the pursuits and associations they inspired.
Müller will pay specific recognition to principles complicated to justify fascism and the way they relate to the unique type of liberal democracy that used to be created in postwar Western Europe. He additionally explains the impression of the Sixties and neoliberalism, finishing with a severe overview of today's self-consciously post-ideological age.
Review
" [An] notable survey of 20th-century ecu political thought.”—Tony Barber, monetary Times
(Tony Barber monetary instances 2011-08-20)
'This is a pathbreaking learn within the highbrow background of Europe in our time. Analysing rules that had political effect, Jan-Werner Mülller illuminates a unending debate approximately real and fake democracy.' - Timothy Garton Ash
(Timothy Garton Ash)
'The such a lot leading edge elements of this admirably thorough and accomplished publication take care of the now not so liberal roots of the liberal political associations and practices that got here to fruition in post-war Europe. What moves me is the balanced remedy of advancements in Western and japanese Europe.' - Jürgen Habermas
(J�rgen Habermas)
'Ideology is where the place conception and perform, philosophy and historical past, meet. comprehend this "in-between" and also you are good in your strategy to knowing the inner most dynamics that form glossy political lifestyles. during this illuminating research Jan-Werner Müller is helping us see the adventure of twentieth-century Europe, East and West, in a clean mild via exhibiting how its attribute ideologies built, functioned, and tailored to the area they created. via targeting "political concept that issues politically" Müller takes us past the easy tales we now have inherited approximately revolution and response, post-war reconstruction, the chilly warfare, the Sixties, and lots more and plenty else. by way of the tip he places us in a far better place to appreciate the forces at paintings in modern ecu politics and the unusual charm of the "anti-political" ideology that governs our time.' - Mark Lilla, writer of The Reckless brain: Intellectuals in Politics
(Mark Lilla)
'The nice success of Jan Werner Müller's Contesting Democracy is to steer us adequately around the immense unruly manifestos of eu political principles, from the appalling doctrines that helped generate the totalitarian regimes and international wars to the uneasy decency of our personal period, with no sacrificing the reader's experience of urgency and signifiance.' - Charles S. Maier
(Charles Maier)
'Jan-Werner Müller’s Contesting Democracy is the main philosophically refined and topically entire learn of political principles in 20th- century Europe but on hand. It shows a masterful command of basic texts, archival assets, and myriad secondary literatures. Müller assembles for political theorists, highbrow historians and social scientists formerly disparate items of intellectual-political existence from the final, such a lot incomprehensible century on that perpetually at a loss for words and infinitely complicated continent. by means of so expertly conveying the whole importance of communism, fascism, liberalism, social democracy and Christian democracy, Müller makes the eu 20th century even more fathomable from a historic, ethical and political point of view than any prior paintings, in any language.' - John P. McCormick, writer of Machiavellian Democracy
(John P. McCormick)
“…… [A] wonderful examine of the influence of mass democracy on ecu political cultures.”—David Marquand, the hot Statesman
(David Marquand the recent Statesman 2011-08-22)
“…..[An] very good book…..Müller offers an insightful and complete assessment of the advance of political principles in 20th-century Europe that takes in Fascism, Communism, social democracy, liberalism, and masses else.—Jeremy Jennings, point of view Magazine
(Jeremy Jennings point of view journal 2011-09-13)
“Muller’s profound and stimulating ebook has a lot to provide, either to experts and for others.”—Roger Morgan, instances larger Education
(Roger Morgan instances larger schooling 2011-10-06)
“There is not any bankruptcy of the 20 th century’s eu political proposal that isn't luminously analysed during this beautifully written, lucidly argued and immensely attractive book.”—Vladimir Tismaneanu, overseas Affairs
(Vladimir Tismaneanu overseas Affairs 2012-01-01)
"Jan-Werner Muller has written an exceptional e-book which for the 1st time supplies us a competent synthesis of twentieth-century eu political thought." eu assessment of History
(European assessment of heritage 2012-08-27)
"The originality of Contesting Democracy stems in sturdy half from the range of its topic, its good thought-out constitution, and, final yet now not least, its vigorous anecdotes and remarkable charges. Müller writes elegantly and has an exceptional eye for vital principles and missed authors." A. Craiutu, Springer.
(A. Craiutu Springer 2012-07-31)