POLITICS WITHOUT PROGRESS?

Authors

  • BOGAN CONSTANTIN MIHAILESCU PhD, University Lecturer, Department of Political Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi

Keywords:

progress, Enlightenment, postmodernism, ideology, political imaginary

Abstract

For the modern politics, progress is the essential mark, the judgement criterion of the major social and political reforms and changes, the north of the ideological compass. Politics without progress, for the man of the modernity, is a politics without sense. Liberals, utopians, marxists or socialists - they are all progressists. However, for the disillusioned man of the XXI-st century, a politics which is aimed and created for finding peace is wiser and more advantageous - as the history of the XX century proves - than the politics subordinated to the progressive desideration. But the danger of renouncing the progress as an ideal is the lack of a reasonable substitute, and the consequence of leaving the political space even more permeable, increasing the possibility of the emerging conflicts, more than modern politics does.

References

Bacon, F. (1962). Noua Atlantida. Bucuresti: Editura Stiintifica.

Botez, A. (2005). Postmodernismul în filosofie. Bucuresti: Editura Floare Albastra.

Bauman, Z. (2002). Etica postmoderna. Timisoara: Editura Amarcord.

Bernstein, E. (1899). Conclusion: Ultimate Aim and Tendency - Kant against Cant. In Berstein, E. Evolutionary Socialism. text available online: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/bernstein/works/1899/evsoc/ch04-conc.htm.

Constant, B. (1996). Despre libertate la antici si la moderni. Iasi: Editura Institutul European.

Constant, B. (2001). Despre perfectibilitatea speciei umane. In Constant, B. Scrieri politice, Bucuresti: Editura Nemira .

Condorcet (1796). Outline of an Historical View of the Progress of the Human Mind. translated from the French. Philadelphia. Text available online: http://files.libertyfund.org/files/1669/0878_Bk.pdf.

Gray, J. (1991). Liberalisms: Essays in Political Philosophy. Routledge.

Gray, J. (1995). Enlightenment's Wake: Politics and Culture at the Close of the Modern Age. Routledge.

Gray, J. (1996). Post-Liberalisms: Studies in Political Thought. Routledge.

Gray, J (1998). Dincolo de liberalism si conservatorism. Bucuresti: Editura All.

Gray, J. (1998). Liberalismul. Bucuresti: Editura Du Style.

Gray, J. (2004). Heresies: Against progress and other illusions. London: Granta Books.

Gray, J. (2007). Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia. Penguin Books.

Gray, J. (2009). Câini de paie: gânduri despre oameni si alte animale. Bucuresti: Editura Humanitas.

Habermas, J. (2000). Discursul filosofic al modernitatii. Bucuresti: Editura All.

Horkheimer, M. & Adorno, T.W. (2012). Dialectica Luminilor. Iasi: Editura Polirom.

Kant, I. (2003). An answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?. In Reiss, H.S. (ed.). Kant. Political Writing. Cambridge University Press.

Kant, I. (2000). Raspuns la întrebarea ce este luminarea?. In Flonta, M. & Keul H.K. (eds.). Filosofia practica a lui Kant. Iasi: Editura Polirom.

Keohane, N.O. (1982). The Enlightenment Idea of Progress Revisited. In Almond, G.A. & Chodorow, M. & Pearce, R.H. (eds.). Progress and its Discontents. University of California Press.

Lyotard, J.F. (1993). Conditia postmoderna. Bucuresti: Editura Babel.

MacIntyre, A. (1998). Tratat de morala. Dupa virtute. Bucuresti: Editura Humanitas.

Marx, K. & Engels, F. (1848). Manifesto of the Communist Party. Text available online: http://www.marxists.org/ archive/marx/works/1848/ communist-manifesto/ch01.htm#007;

Marx, K. & Engels, F. (1998). Manifestul Partidului Comunist. Bucuresti: Editura Nemira.

Nay, O. (2008). Istoria ideilor politice. Iasi: Editura Polirom.

Nisbet, R.A. (2009). The History of the Idea of Progress. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.

Oakeshott, M. (1995). Rationalismul în politica. Bucuresti: Editura ALL.

Preda, C. (2000). Liberalismul. Bucuresti: Editura Nemira.

Rorty, R. (2001). The Continuity Between the Enlightenment and Postmodernism. In Baker, K.M. & Reill, P.H. (eds.). What's left of Enlightenment? A Postmodern Question. California: Stanford University Press.

Rorty, R. & Vattimo, G. & Zabala, S. (2008). Viitorul religiei. Solidaritate, caritate, ironie. Pitesti: Editura Paralela 45.

Saint Simon, H. (1975). New Christianity: Firts Dialogue. In Saint Simon, H. Selected Writings on Science, Industry and Social Organisation. Taylor, K. (ed.). Biddles of Guildford.

Servier, J. (2000). Istoria utopiei. Bucuresti: Editura Meridiane.

Vattimo, G. & Rovatti, P.A. (eds.) (1998). Gândirea slaba. Constanta: Editura Pontica.

Vattimo, G. (1993). Sfârsitul modernitatii. Constanta: Editura Pontica.

Vattimo, G. (2007). Ethics without Transcendence?. In Santiago Zabala (ed.). Nihilism and emancipation: ethics, politics and law. Columbia University Press.

Vovelle, M. (2000). Omul Luminilor. Iasi: Editura Polirom.

Williams, D. (2004). Condorcet and Modernity. Cambridge University Press.