Pluralism and the Personality of the State

by David Runciman

Overview

Pluralism and the Personality of the State tells the history of English political thought from 1900 to 1933, concentrating on the work of the political pluralists and their attack on the idea of state sovereignty. It explores the background to their work in the ideas of the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes and the German jurist Otto von Gierke. It also looks at what wider relevance their ideas might have today, particularly with regard to the question of the relation between the state and voluntary associations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521551915
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/05/1997
Series:	Ideas in Context , #47
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.94(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Part I. The Personality of Associations: 1. Introduction; 2. Hobbes and the person of the commonwealth; 3. Gierke and the Genossenschaft; 4. Trusts and sovereigns; Part II. Political Pluralism: 5. Maitland and the real personality of associations; 6. Figgis and the communitas communitatum; 7. Barker and the discredited state; 8. Cole and guild socialism; 9. Laski and political pluralism; 10. The return of the state; Part III. The Personality of the State: 11. The mask of personality; 12. The mask of the group; 13. The mask of the state; 14. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"As a history of the implantation of ideas within a particular context, this work is exceptional. As an incisive conceptual negotiation of this tradition....this work borders on brilliance." B.J. Macdonald, Choice

"...such thoroughness is part and parcel of the book's great value to historians of ideas in early twentieth century England." Review of Metaphysics

From the Publisher