[lit-ideas] Re: Neocon Reader
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 11:07:39 -0800
Thanks. I just ordered the book.
Lawrence
_____
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 10:47 AM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Neocon Reader
Hi,
i'm pretty sure that i've posted this before, but in case someone does not
have access to or know some of the points of view spouted by those of the
neo-conservative ideals, here is an interesting book which has some of their
writings collected together...
Just an fyi...so we know what is being said when the term neo-con is
referred to...beyond just defense issues...
Best,
Marlena in Missouri
The neocon reader by Stelzer, Irwin M.
Summary
Providing a collection of the ideas that are exerting enormous influence on
American foreign and defense policy, this reader also serves as an important
reminder of how a loose-knit band of intellectuals and politicians thought,
wrote, and preached their way into the halls of power. Distributed by
Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
Review
Neoconservatives have formed the first successful American political
movement of the 21st century, and this anthology takes a needed step toward
identifying the ideas, most of them at least 20 years old, that can be
loosely identified as their platform. Though Stelzer, a former American
Enterprise Institute resident scholar, points to a diversity of neocon
positions in his introduction, most would probably agree with the
contributor who considers democracy "a framework to protect, and be
protected by, a moral ethos," a belief shaping many of the views on foreign
policy found here. Many of the names are familiar: Kristol, Kirkpatrick,
Rice, Thatcher, Will, James Q. Wilson. George L. Kelling's famous "Broken
Windows" essay (1982), which re-envisions police forces as a means of
preserving social order before crime breaks out, is absorbed into the neocon
canon in a prominent example of Stelzer's historical reach. The anthology's
more significant achievement, however, may be in its presentation of
lesser-known views on domestic policy, such as a relative lack of concern
over federal deficits. Whether David Brooks and Tony Blair can genuinely be
viewed as belonging here may be open to question. Some contributors
defensively downplay the movement's influence, while others dwell repeatedly
on fringe accusations of neoconservatism's alleged roots in a pro-Israeli
cabal. The prevailing tone throughout, though, is one of cautious optimism.
(Jan.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. Appeared in: Publishers
Weekly, Nov 01, 2004 (c) Copyright 2005, Cahners Business Information, a
division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The significance of the "neo-conservative persuasion," as Irving Kristol has
described the political thinking discussed here, should not be
underestimated. Key figures in the Bush administration, particularly those
in the areas of foreign and defense policy, are among its adherents. Thus,
any citizen who seeks to gain a fuller understanding of the philosophical
roots of neo-conservatism and how it is currently applied to a range of
policy areas should read this book. Stelzer, a senior fellow at the Hudson
Institute, has gathered a fine collection of essays that reflect the breadth
and depth of neo-conservative thought. Among the contributors are academics
James Q. Wilson, Robert Kagan, and both Kristol (the father of
neo-conservatism) and his son, William Kristol, a former academic who now
edits the Weekly Standard; journalists David Brooks, Charles Krauthammer,
and George Will, and former and current political figures such as Jeane
Kirkpatrick and Condoleeza Rice. The essays are informative and challenging
and, taken as a whole, present a reasonably complete portrait of the
neo-conservative approach. Recommended for all libraries.-Thomas J. Baldino,
Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Appeared in: Library Journal, Dec 01, 2004 (c) Copyright 2005, Cahners
Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Table of Contents
Neoconservatives and their critics : an introduction Irwin Stelzer
The neoconservative persuasion Irving Kristol
The neocon cabal and other fantasies David Brooks
Myths about neoconservatism Max Boot
National interest and global responsibility William Kristol Robert Kagan
Postscript - June 04 William Kristol
The president's national security strategy Condoleezza Rice
New threats for old Margaret Thatcher
Doctrine of the international community Tony Blair
Beyond the axis of evil : additional threats from weapons of mass
destruction John R. Bolton
The slow undoing : the assault on, and underestimation of, nationality
George F. Will
A conservative welfare state Irving Kristol
Broken windows : the police and neighborhood safety James Q. Wilson George
L. Kelling
Pornography, obscenity, and the case for censorship Irving Kristol
The dread deficit Robert L. Bartley
Neoconservative economic policy : virtues and vices Irwin Stelzer
Neoconservative economic policy : virtues and vices Irwin Stelzer
Philosophic roots, the role of Leo Strauss, and the war in Iraq Kenneth R.
Weinstein
Conservatives and neoconservatives Adam Wolfson
Neoconservatism as a response to the counter-culture Jeane Kirkpatrick
The neoconservative cabal Joshua Muravchik
Neoconservatives and the court of public opinion in America Karlyn Bowman
The very British roots of neoconservatism and its lessons for British
conservatives Michael Gove
The prospect for neoconservatism in Germany Jeffrey Gedmin
Neoconservatism in Europe : a view from Portugal Joao Carlos Espada
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