An invaluable reflection on the essence of liberal democracy-and an ideal introduction to the work of political philosopher Raymond Aron
Liberty and Equality is the first English translation of the last lecture delivered at the Collège de France by Raymond Aron, one of the most influential political and social thinkers of the twentieth century. In this important work, the most prominent French liberal intellectual of the Cold War era presents his views on the core values of liberal democracy: liberty and equality. At the same time, he provides an ideal introduction to key aspects of his thought.
Ranging from Soviet ideology to Watergate, Aron reflects on root concepts of democracy and representative government, articulates a notion of liberty or freedom as equal right as distinct from equal outcome, and discusses different kinds of liberties: personal, political, religious, and social. In search of a common truth or at least a common good, and analyzing what he perceives as the crisis of liberal democracies, Aron opens a space for reexamining the relation between liberty and equality.
"Liberty and Equality is the first English translation of the last lecture delivered at the Colláege de France by Raymond Aron, one of the most influential political and social thinkers of the twentieth century. In this important work, the most prominent French liberal intellectual of the Cold War era presents his views on the core values of liberal democracy: liberty and equality. At the same time, he provides an ideal introduction to key aspects of his thought. Ranging from Soviet ideology to Watergate, Aron reflects on root concepts of democracy and representative government, articulates a notion of liberty or freedom as equal right as distinct from equal outcome, and discusses different kinds of liberties: personal, political, religious, and social. In search of a common truth or at least a common good, and analyzing what he perceives as the crisis of liberal democracies, Aron opens a space for reexamining the relation between liberty and equality." -- Amazon.
"To speak politically about political ideals is to practice the rare virtue of prudence, and to combine such moderation with radicality in theoretical inquiry is the hallmark of truly philosophic statesmanship. Aron’s lecture provides a model and an ideal of such statesmanship. . . . We should be grateful to Pierre Manent for editing Aron’s final lecture, and to Samuel Zeitlin for his careful translation. There exist few more sober, reliable, or serious guides to thinking about the virtues and vices of liberalism than Raymond Aron."
---Paul T. Wilford, City Journal
