



Why Politics Fails
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
A leading political expert explains why systems fail to deliver things we all want—democracy, equality, solidarity, security and prosperity—and what can be done to create a just, equitable, and environmentally sane society.
The dawn of the twenty-first century had the promise of a golden age. The economy was stable and growing, social peace seemed possible, and technology appeared benign.
The past years have awakened us from this complacency. We have long known what needs to be done to save the world from climate disaster. Why do we continue on the path of self-destruction? The immense wealth of the United States should make poverty a historical curiosity. Why is income inequality growing and the scourge of poverty increasing? The vast majority of people around the world want to live in a society with democratic values. Why is democracy receding? Why is it so hard to get - and keep - the world we want?
Ben Ansell, one of the world’s leading experts on the dilemmas facing modern democracies, vividly illustrates how our collective goals - democracy, equality, solidarity, security, and prosperity - are undermined by political traps and why today’s political landscape is so tumultuous. We want equality, but we are loathe to give away our own wealth. We want solidarity but we are much better at receiving it than offering it. We want security but not if it constrains our freedom. And we want to end the climate crisis but we also want a prosperous economy. In every case, we want a collective goal, but are undermined by our individual actions. Our aims are altruistic, our actions governed by self-interest.
Ansell then comes full circle and through brilliant storytelling and pathbreaking research vividly illustrates how we maneuver through the traps of the messy, complicated world of politics that block common sense solutions to the just, equitable, prosperous, and environmentally sane society we all want.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Oxford University political scientist Ansell (From the Ballot to the Blackboard) delivers a thought-provoking inquiry into the promises and pitfalls of politics. Contending that people generally want five key things—democracy, equality, solidarity, security, and prosperity—Ansell identifies the fundamental tensions, or traps, that make them difficult to achieve. For example, the "collective goal of equality—to close the chasm between rich and poor" conflicts with the desire "to use our equal rights to live our own best life as freely as possible." The pursuit of prosperity is similarly hamstrung by the disconnect between self-interest and collective goals, and by the lure of short-term economic gains that impoverish the future. Contending that these sorts of tensions are permanent and unavoidable, Ansell proposes political structures and policies designed to help navigate them. Noting the rise of facial recognition software and other surveillance technologies, he calls for the creation of institutions to "balance against those watching us," and cites cross-border laws—which "relied on the reciprocity of Tit for Tat"—developed by rival clans in medieval England and Scotland as an example of how to achieve international cooperation. Throughout, Ansell's deep thinking is balanced by his crisp prose and accessible examples, giving the book the feel of a stimulating college lecture. It's a stellar exposition of a subject that often feels too big to grasp.