Reviews for Liberty or equality

The average rating for Liberty or equality based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-06-29 00:00:00 Joaquin Silveira Karl Keating, the founder of Catholic Answers, wrote a post "The Smartest Man I ever Met." In it he referenced Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, someone I had never heard of. In his post he linked to one of his books which was freely downloadable. I had recently read a series of essays from Christopher Dawson and found Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn book to some extent dovetail regarding liberty and equality in part. Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn also references Dawson in his book and in fact there are over a hundred pages of reference notes. This book is just brilliant and one of those books that really makes you relook at foundational things you believe and to reevaluate them. As an American the ideal of a representational democracy, a Republic, is our mother's milk. Over the years I have become more skeptical about this form of government and this book helps me to come to grasp with why that is. He starts by giving definitions and basic principles, something every book of this type should start with. He then dives into democracy and totalitarianism in a blistering critique of the tendencies of "democracies" as experienced. I see more clearly the flaws I noticed and how this was to be expected. His book written in the 1950's has only been more born out in recent years. His critique of a two party system also clarified things for me. To paraphrase him, every election is a division among the people. He often wrote things that greatly annoyed me at first, but upon evaluating them I saw the truth in what he had to say. He also was no political utopian critiquing one form of government while not seeing the flaws of others. From what I have followed up reading he was certainly an Monarchist, but a clear-eyed one that knew that systems faults to a T. He was also clear-eyed regarding the US. > “No monarchic “restoration” is offered in these pages to the United States; a political change of that sort could at present only end in ridicule—and disaster.” The last chapters take a look at the roots and the history of National Socialism and this also is very interesting through his Catholic lens and brilliant analysis. Also there is an interesting look at Martin Luther and Protestantism. So I found this book super helpful and enlightening. I had already lost my previous more utopian views of politics or the idea of political perfection if only we elected the right people and that the media was truthful. That we work with what we have. All political theories and governmental structures in regards to original sin is like the battle plan before the reality of the battle. I am an admitted optimitic/pessimist and his view makes me see the system clearer, while also not despairing. Dawson wrote about the Gospel of Progress and the expectation of things improving on a linear path. We keep making that mistake with politics. So I find myself rather stunned to see Monarchy in a new light and despite it's flaws which are pronounced modern democracies have a tendency towards totalitarianism, something even the Greek philosphers projected. But like Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, see that this is not an option for the U.S. anytime soon. Although in the long run cultures if they survive go through many phases, repeating the same mistakes and making new ones.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-11-10 00:00:00 Christopher Bjelland Its well known that liberty & democracy are incompatible. This book attempts to clarify their incompatibility. It is a very well researched book & is encyclopaedic in its exposition of the vast differences between democracy & libertarianism. It often leaves itself down by not focusing to a point, to a solid theory or speculation. The writing is excellent but the book unstructured. You cant but feel this would have been a far better book but the author's knowledge is nonetheless impressive.