Title
Fear: The History of a Political Idea,Used
Processing time: 1-3 days
US Orders Ships in: 3-5 days
International Orders Ships in: 8-12 days
Return Policy: 15-days return on defective items
Payment Option
For many commentators, September 11 inaugurated a new era of fear. But as Corey Robin shows in his unsettling tour of the Western imaginationthe first intellectual history of its kindfear has shaped our politics and culture since time immemorial.From the Garden of Eden to the Gulag Archipelago to today's headlines, Robin traces our growing fascination with political danger and disaster. As our faith in positive political principles recedes, he argues, we turn to fear as the justifying language of public life. We may not know the good, but we do know the bad. So we cling to fear, abandoning the quest for justice, equality, and freedom. But as fear becomes our intimate, we understand it less. In a startling reexamination of fear's greatest modern interpretersHobbes, Montesquieu, Tocqueville, and ArendtRobin finds that writers since the eighteenth century have systematically obscured fear's political dimensions, diverting attention from the public and private authorities who sponsor and benefit from it. For fear, Robin insists, is an exemplary instrument of repressionin the public and private sector. Nowhere is this politically repressive fearand its evasionmore evident than in contemporary America. In his final chapters, Robin accuses our leading scholars and critics of ignoring 'Fear, American Style,' which, as he shows, is the fruit of our most prized inheritancesthe Constitution and the free market.With danger playing an increasing role in our daily lives and justifying a growing number of government policies, Robin's Fear offers a bracing, and necessary, antidote to our contemporary culture of fear.
⚠️ WARNING (California Proposition 65):
This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
- Q: What is the main theme of 'Fear: The History of a Political Idea'? A: The main theme of the book explores how fear has historically influenced politics and culture, particularly in the context of contemporary America.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Fear: The History of a Political Idea'? A: The author of the book is Corey Robin.
- Q: What is the publication date of this book? A: The book was published on October 1, 2004.
- Q: How many pages are in 'Fear: The History of a Political Idea'? A: The book contains 336 pages.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: The book is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: Is 'Fear: The History of a Political Idea' a first edition? A: Yes, this is the first edition of the book.
- Q: What condition is the book in? A: The item condition is listed as Very Good.
- Q: What category does this book fall under? A: The book falls under the category of History.
- Q: What are some key topics covered in the book? A: Key topics include the historical influence of fear on politics, the writings of philosophers like Hobbes and Tocqueville, and the role of fear in contemporary American society.
- Q: Can 'Fear: The History of a Political Idea' provide insights into current political issues? A: Yes, the book offers insights into how fear shapes modern political discourse and policy, making it relevant to current political issues.