Noted political analyst Lipset (Public Policy/George Mason Univ.;
Jews and the American Scene, 1995, etc.) argues compellingly that
both the defects and advantages of American society arise from the
same values. While the US has exercised tremendous influence over
Western countries since WW II, Lipset argues, it remains
exceptional: Americans are more religious, more patriotic, more
populist, more egalitarian, more likely to volunteer, less likely
to vote, more prone to divorce, and wealthier than citizens of
other developed countries. Lipset asserts that these seemingly
contradictory qualities result from several traits that have
characterized America from its founding: a commitment to
competitive individualism and self-determination; a deep
anti-statist orientation; and a tendency toward populism and
egalitarianism. What has emerged from this mix is a genuinely
"liberal" society in the classical sense: Even those called
conservatives in our political lexicon are committed to
individualist and egalitarian principles that would have marked
them as radicals in 19th-century Europe. The moral foundation of
public affairs in America has resulted in an ideological, crusading
approach to foreign policy, while the commitment to individualism
has resulted in high crime and divorce rates. Lipset makes an
interesting comparison between two "outlying" countries: America,
with its feeling of "exceptionalism" and Japan, with its sense of
"separateness." In contrast to Japan, Lipset notes, America remains
a heterodox, competitive, individualistic society. He points out
that the same moral concerns that produce America's high rate of
patriotism also produce opposition to war, and that the
"conservative" counterrevolution of the 19805 and '90s has roots in
traditional "liberal" mistrust of government and belief in the
primacy of the individual. A well-reasoned analysis of the unique
and self-contradictory values of American society, which underlie
both our extraordinary success and our perceptions of moral
decline. (Kirkus Reviews)
In this timely new study, one of our major political analysts,
Seymour Martin Lipset, explores the deeply held but often
inarticulated beliefs that shape America's society and thought. Is
this country in the throes of a revolution from the right? Is it in
decline morally? Is Japan about to replace us as the leading
economic power? Why does the United States have the highest crime
rate, the most persons per capita in prison? Why is our electoral
turnout so low? Why are we the most open, socially mobile society
and the most unequally developed nation in income distribution? Why
is America the most religious country in Christendom? What explains
our persistently high rate of opposition to wars and, conversely,
our propensity for flag waving and expressions of patriotic
enthusiasm? As the 1996 election year begins, Professor Lipset
examines the remarkable persistence of an American creed, a
double-edged sword that provides both good and bad, offering fresh
insights into our culture and its future.
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