Democracy and Populism
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Fear and Hatred
John Lukacs
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Format: PaperPrice: $26.00
Democracy has changed substantially since the second World War, evolving into a dangerous and possibly irreversible populism, says John Lukacs in this intensely interesting—and troubling—book. The esteemed historian offers biting, timely, and controversial observations on the power of the media and the precarious state of American democracy today.
"In taking up Tocqueville’s theme, democracy in America, our most perceptive and far-ranging historian corrects many misconceptions about the recent past and deals commandingly with this country’s zeal to implant our blend of freedoms abroad. He will arouse thought as he always does and stir the emotions more than usual."—Jacques Barzun
"Lukacs is indisputably one of the English language’s greatest—and most idiosyncratic—historians. . . . This is a wonderful book to chew on. . . . For the intelligent and historically literate general reader, this may well be a great joy."—Jonah Goldberg, National Review
"In taking up Tocqueville’s theme, Democracy in America, our most perceptive and far-ranging historian corrects many misconceptions about the recent past and deals commandingly with this country’s zeal to implant our blend of freedoms abroad. He will arouse thought as he always does and stir the emotions more than usual.”—Jacques Barzun
"Fascinating."—Rod Dreher, Dallas Morning News
“Lukacs is indisputably one of the English language’s greatest—and most idiosyncratic—historians. . . . [His] prose is clear and crisp. . . . This is a wonderful book to chew on. . . . For the intelligent and historically literate general reader, this may well be a great joy.”—Jonah Goldberg, National Review
“Lukacs invites us to share in a relaxed meditation on the present condition of democracy, above all in America. The style is often conversational. Instead of an argument, we are offered a series of apercus, many of them haunting and even brilliant.”—David Marquand, New Statesman
“Lukacs, the outspoken historian, provides some satisfyingly inflammatory notions.”—Neil Genzlinger, New York Times Book Review
"Like all the great historians, this Hungarian-American [Lukacs], also is a great philosopher of history. He is best known for developing his idea of 'historical consciousness' and as a historian of World War II, the Cold War and democracy in America."—John Seiler, Orange County Register (CA)
“Lukacs offers a compact view of political change in Europe and the United States from the Napoleonic Wars to the present, with a particular focus on his area of expertise, WWII and the decades just before and after.”—Publishers Weekly
"Provocative. . . . Lukacs’s work provides a valuable framework for understanding the consequences of change that reorders the world and our perceptions of it."—Jim Hoagland, Washington Post
“Mr. Lukacs . . . sees the history of the last several decades as a slide into barbarism. . . . [He] writes a particularly rich and textured history. . . . Mr. Lukacs’ urbanity, his broad reading and ability to recall what’s significant in that reading, are apparent in his new book. . . . [He] may be convinced that ours is a barbaric time, but his presence among us is happy evidence to the contrary.”—Steve Goode, Washington Times
"A sobering meditation upon the degeneration of Western democracy into populism and aggressive nationalism."—National Catholic Reporter
Publication Date: June 15, 2006
