Research Catalog

Title

Faces of moderation : the art of balance in an age of extremes / Aurelian Craiutu.

Author

Crăiuțu, Aurelian

Publication

Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, [2017]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

295 pages; 24 cm

Summary

"Aristotle listed moderation as one of the moral virtues. He also defined virtue as the mean between extremes, implying that moderation plays a vital role in all forms of moral excellence. But moderation's protean character-its vague and ill-defined omnipresence in judgment and action-makes it exceedingly difficult to grasp theoretically. At the same time, moderation seems to be the foundation of many contemporary democratic political regimes, because the competition between parties cannot properly function without compromise and bargaining. The success of representative government and its institutions depends to a great extent on the virtue of moderation, yet the latter persists in being absent from both the conceptual discourse of many political philosophers and the campaign speeches of politicians fearful of losing elections if they are perceived as moderates. Aurelian Craiutu aims to resolve this paradox. Examining the writings of prominent twentieth-century thinkers such as Raymond Aron, Isaiah Berlin, Norberto Bobbio, Michael Oakeshott, and Adam Michnik, he addresses the following questions: What does it mean to be a moderate voice in political and public life? What are the virtues and limits of moderation? Can moderation be the foundation for a successful platform or party? Though critics maintain that moderation is merely a matter of background and personal temperament, Craiutu finds several basic norms that have consistently appeared in different national and political contexts. The authors studied in this book defended pluralism, of ideas, interests, and social forces, and sought to achieve a sound balance between them through political trimming. They shared a preoccupation with political evil and human dignity, but refused to see the world in Manichaean terms that divide it neatly into the forces of light and those of darkness. Faces of Moderation argues that moderation remains crucial for today's encounters with new forms of extremism and fundamentalism across the world."--Publisher

Series Statement

Haney Foundation Series

Uniform Title

Haney Foundation series.

Subjects

• Oakeshott, Michael, 1901-1990 > Political and social views
• Bobbio, Norberto, 1909-2004 > Political and social views
• Aron, Raymond, 1905-1983 > Political and social views
• Berlin, Isaiah, 1909-1997 > Political and social views
• Political science > Philosophy > History > 20th century
• Moderation > Political aspects > History > 20th century
• Michnik, Adam > Political and social views

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 247-280) and index.

Contents

Prologue: in search of elusive virtue -- The ethos of moderation -- The lucidity of moderation: Raymond Aron as a "commited observer" -- Moderation as a face of moderation: Norberto Bobbia's politics of dialogue -- Moderation and trimming: Michael Oakeshott's politics of skepticism -- Radical moderation and the search for moral clarity: Adam Michnik's lesson -- Epilogue: beyond the golden mean.

Call Number

JFE 17-1097

ISBN

• 9780812248760 (hardcover : alk. paper)
• 0812248767 (hardcover : alk. paper)

LCCN

2016055414

OCLC

969427689

Author

Crăiuțu, Aurelian, author.

Title

Faces of moderation : the art of balance in an age of extremes / Aurelian Craiutu.

Publisher

Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, [2017]

Edition

1st edition.

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Series

Haney Foundation Series

Haney Foundation series.

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 247-280) and index.

Research Call Number

JFE 17-1097