An introduction to modern political philosophy Book

Roger Scruton may be the best-known spokesman of European conservatism. His reasoning is founded on solid ground, mild wherever he can, clear and firm wherever necessary.

This book is a capita selecta on many topics that have crossed the political agenda during the last few decades: animal rights, the role of the nation state, euthanasia, religion, totalitarianism.
Scruton observes that the nation state is under siege from two ends: multiculturalism (inflicted by postmodernist philosophers) and transnational organisations (which lack accountability). This thesis has been elaborated upon by one of his doctoral students Dr. Thierry Baudet (‘The significance of borders’). Nation states depend on national loyalty, but offer civil rights (freedom, security,…) in return. In a more fragmented society, nation states offer the solution to the problems of modern government. Referring to Chesterton, Scruton states that blaming patriotism for war is like blaming love for murder.

Chapter 2 relates to ecology. The author shows why bureaucratic regimes fail to protect nature, whereas rational self-interest (thé human trigger according to the capitalist ideology) does not help either. Local loyalty and small scale initiatives tend to work better. One should focus on the long term and aim for conservation and sustainability. Conservatism fits into this agenda as Burke earlier defined society as a social contract between dead, living and unborn.

Mr Scruton is a religious man and feels the sacred through our world: the eating festivities linked to hospitality (Iliad, The Prodigal Son), life and death and the way we respect the dead, marriage as social blessing in return for sexual fidelity, but also sacrament to let children grow up in a stable environment.

His essay on religion is my personal favourite. According to Mr Scruton, Enlightenment has failed to find any rational argument against religion. After that, he gives a brief overview of how modern philosophers view religion: Durkheim (result of social needs and emotions), Wagner (about us and the dark secrets of human soul), Nietzsche (as a cult), Darwin (as aid to survival) and Girard (as sublimated violence). Scruton concludes that religion has two functions: a ritual reaffirmation of membership and a stance to the transcendental given that humans are rational beings.

From a historical perspective, the author sees two waves of secularisation. In the 19th century, religious symbols were removed from the public sphere: civil marriage, schooling,… But although metaphysical ideas were rejected, the people still lived in a world shaped by religion via art, marriage and love. The second wave (20th century) was more aggressive. Fascist and socialist art and architecture and Western technology are no longer embedded in a religious tradition. Cities and institutions are entirely secular and religion seems only relevant in case of satire and to revolt against. Religious freedom is only allowed in the private sphere, but current man seems to forget that religion is about to tie a society (cf. the tribal connection to Islamic sects). Roman law and Christian tradition allow to separate Church and State but most of the world religions do not have such tradition and will not accept a profound secular society.

The book offers a lot of interesting thinking. Definitely worth a second reading.