Network Democracy: Conservative Politics and the Violence of the Liberal Age

Network Democracy uses ecology and network thinking to critique traditional conservative thought, revealing how it fuels violence and insecurity. It proposes intermediate institutions and civil enterprises to develop resistance to the liberal age's insecurity, offering a constructive and peaceable alternative to both liberalism and reactionary anti-liberalism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2018
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press

Network Democracy employs the contemporary tools of ecology and network thinking to delve into the ancient, intellectual ruins of traditional conservative thought. In his book, Jared Giesbrecht challenges the Western world's reverence for freedom, equality, contractual citizenship, economic progress, cosmopolitanism, secular institutionalism, and reason. He argues that these ideals, while celebrated in the modern age, fuel violence and insecurity in our fast-paced lives. While revolutionary movements emerge as a violent manifestation of conservatism, Giesbrecht reveals a different kind of conservatism that has emerged in direct conversation with liberal thought. He emphasizes the need for intermediate institutions and civil enterprises to form relations and traditions independent of the state, as a means to develop resistance to the insecurity of the liberal age.

Network Democracy offers not only a poignant critique but also a constructive and peaceable alternative to the violence of both liberalism and reactionary anti-liberalism. The book is particularly relevant in the context of the new realities of globalization, advanced technology, and social acceleration. It is a masterful hybrid of ancient and cutting-edge political philosophy that sheds new light on the values underlying Western civilization.

In conclusion, Network Democracy is a thought-provoking and timely book that challenges the foundations of traditional conservative thought and offers a constructive vision for a more secure and peaceful world. By employing the tools of ecology and network thinking, Giesbrecht provides a fresh perspective on the values that underpin Western civilization and offers a roadmap for building resistance to the insecurity of the liberal age.

Weight: 442g
Dimension: 190 x 378 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780773550742