Book
The new Golden rule : community and morality in a democratic society
Record details
- ISBN: 0465052975
-
Physical Description:
print
xxii, 314 p ; cm. - Edition: 1st ed.
- Publisher: New York : Basic Books, 1996.
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (p. 259-305) and index. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Social ethics Social values Communities Communitarianism Democracy Ethics |
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Legislative Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative Library, Vaughan Street | HM 216 Etz (Text) | 36970000018848 | General Collection | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Choice Reviews : Choice Reviews 1997 July
Etzioni brings a sociologist's grasp of the tension between individuals and society, and liberty and social order, to the examination of community and morality in a democratic society. Contrasting his own communitarian perspective with the viewpoints of social conservatives and religious fundamentalists, the author seeks to construct a case for a largely voluntary communitarian order that does not impose morality on people and is not based on radical libertarianism. Instead, Etzioni argues for a position in the middle that relies on "a new golden rule" founded "on a profound commitment to moral order that is basically voluntary, and to a social order that is well balanced with socially secured autonomy." In doing so, he avoids some of the problems of other conservative social critics by emphasizing the importance of a socially constructed concept of morality and community. Etzioni also reviews and contrasts the insights of classical social theorists such as Tonnies, Durkheim, and Weber with modern proponents of social conservatism and libertarianism. However, a critical gap in the book is Etzioni's failure to integrate a discussion of the structure of power in capitalist society and its impact on morality. Despite this weakness, Etzioni's book offers a probing, albeit limited, analysis of community and morality from sociological perspective. All levels. Copyright 1999 American Library Association - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 1996 November
~ This chapter of sociologist Etzioni's (George Washington Univ.) ongoing communitarian campaign breaks new ground but ends up mired in intellectual bickering. Proponents of individual freedom find the communitarian emphasis on shared social values dangerously close to authoritarianism. Etzioni's current response to this fear is a reformulation of the golden rule: ``Respect and uphold society's moral order as you would have society respect and uphold your autonomy.'' For Etzioni (The Spirit of Community, 1993, etc.), following this rule in any society requires maintaining a balance between individual freedom and social imperatives, with the content of political action at any given time or place determined by whether the society has moved too far in either direction. There is much common sense here, and a laudable intention to develop principles that can be applied in the real world. Unfortunately, more effort goes into rebutting critics and splitting hairs with other communitarians than into sustained consideration of substantive issues. Etzioni's interest in extending arguments within the continuing intellectual debate is understandable, but for anyone not directly involved in the discussion, other concerns are more important. His use of the golden rule when prescribing policy for the US, for example, suffers from the unwarranted assumption that applying his principle is a relatively straightforward matter. Even if everyone were to accept balancing individual and social concerns as the appropriate goal, assessments of current conditions and the measures required to stabilize the scales are hardly uncontroversial judgments that follow easily from the premise. Etzioni's seemingly endless effort to find the middle ground leaves him with something more akin to Aristotle's golden mean than a rule, golden or otherwise, and more substantive work is needed to defend specific proposals. A thought-provoking work that needed to be more thoughtful to achieve its full potential. Copyright 1999 Kirkus Reviews - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 1996 November #3
A leading communitarian thinker, sociologist Etzioni contends Americans have overemphasized individual rights in recent years. In his searching treatise, he seeks to restore an equilibrium between personal liberty and the common good, urging the diverse strands of America's social fabric to come together, to commit to a core of shared values that will help renew the family, schools and public institutions. Arguing that rights and responsibilities go hand in hand, he champions the two-parent family, national service involving voluntary participation in agencies such as the Peace Corps and Vista, a nationally standardized public school curriculum, community courts as alternatives to the official judicial system, schools as character-building agents and devolving federal functions to voluntary associations and other community bodies. Challenging liberals and conservatives alike, Etzioni, a professor at George Washington University, cuts through a welter of issues, from bicultural education to curbing alcohol abuse, in this timely contribution to the debate over what constitutes a good society. (Jan.)
