Against Politics (Routledge Studies in Social and Political Thought)

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Government depends on collective decision making. Even in peaceful democracies, some decide for all. The author challenges the morality of this position. It is not different political systems that are at fault so much as the very nature of politics itself. Against Politics draws together de Jasay's key work in this area over the last ten years. In the first section of the book de Jasay attacks contractarian thought and the very notion of the legitimacy of politics. In the final section he outlines an alternative vision, a form of ordered anarchy based on social virtues, achievements and institutions which exist prior to government and which are not contingent on political arrangements.

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Against Politics (Routledge Studies in Social and Political Thought) Review

De Jasay's book does an excellent job punctuating the arguments typically used to justify the state. He shows the absurdity of contractariansim (if the state is necessary to enforce contracts, then how did the state make a contract with the people for its establishment?). His essay "Is Limited Government Possible?" is an excellent tonic for those libertarians who feel that the state can be effectively constrained by a constitution. In addition to the problem of enforcement, de Jasay highlights the disturbing tendency of the state to expand indefinitely as an increasingly smaller majority is necessary to exploit an increasingly larger minority (culminating in democracy where a coalition of 50+1 gets to exploit the remaining 49.9). He also demonstrates the flaws of adopting loose limitations on government action (for instance, if governement is supposed to promote fairness, who defines "fairness"?) The second part of the book highlights the functioning of social institutions and conventions that existed prior to governement and evolved independently of the state, strengthening the conclusion that people can lead peaceful, fulfilling lives without the state. I would have given this book five stars, except that it suffers from the same defect as most treatises of academic philosophy in that his writing style is often a bit dry.

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