Anatomy of Eminence from De Gruyter at the Book Checkout

Anatomy Of Eminence
Anatomy of Eminence
Subtitle:
French Liberalism and the Question of Elites
Book Category:
History > General
Author:
Rosenberg, Dan
Editor::
Rosenberg, Dan
ISBN 13:
9783110680263
Price:
EUR 64.95
Publication Year:
2020

Publisher Info

De Gruyter.

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Book Description

Despite its prominence in public discourse, the notion of elites remains a highly contested and ambiguous part of modern political discourse. This monograph rehabilitates the idea of elites and gives it a solid theoretical footing, while relating it with the historical development of liberal thought in the west. The analysis offered in the book concentrates on the tradition of liberal political thought in France, which has consistently tackled the question of the elites, their role in society, and the process of their formation. Combining theoretical insights with practical wisdom, French liberal thinkers have seen the elite as an indispensable social category and as a vehicle for the development of human liberty. In their different prescriptive doctrines, French liberal thinkers have sought to reconcile the emergence of social elites with the requirements of social and political equality, as well as with the ongoing modernization of mores and institutions. The monograph offers a unique contribution to scholarship in modern political thought by engaging analytically with the notion of elites, as well as by offering a structured discussion on the historical development of liberalism in France.