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OverviewThis interesting and troubling book is the product of a lifetime of reflection and study of democracy. In it, John Lukacs addresses the questions of how democracy has changed and why we have become vulnerable to the shallowest possible demagoguery. Lukacs contrasts the political systems, movements and ideologies that have bedeviled the twentieth century: democracy, Liberalism, nationalism, fascism, Bolshevism, National Socialism, populism. Reflecting on American democracy, Lukacs describes its evolution from the eighteenth century to its current form - a dangerous and possibly irreversible populism. This involves, among other things, the predominance of popular sentiment over what used to be public opinion. This devolution has happened through the gigantic machinery of publicity, substituting propaganda - and entertainment - for knowledge and ideology, for a sense of history. It is a kind of populism that relies on nationalism and militarism to hold society together. Lukacs's observations are original, biting, timely, and are sure to inspire lively debate about the precarious state of American democracy today. Full Product DetailsAuthor: John R. LukacsPublisher: Yale University Press Imprint: Yale University Press Dimensions: Width: 14.00cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 21.00cm Weight: 0.417kg ISBN: 9780300107739ISBN 10: 0300107730 Pages: 272 Publication Date: 08 March 2005 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Out of Print Availability: In Print Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock. Table of ContentsReviewsAuthor InformationJohn Lukacs writes widely on American and European history. He is one of the world's great experts on Churchill and on Hitler. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |