For decades, liberalism has been the prevailing ideology in the West and the benchmark by which all other philosophies are judged. However, in his book Why Liberalism Failed, author Patrick J. Deneen argues that liberalism has failed miserably and should be dismantled.
Deneen begins by tracing the history of liberalism, beginning with the Enlightenment. According to Deneen, liberalism has its roots in the beliefs of 17th and 18th-century philosophers like John Locke and Thomas Hobbes who believed in the power of human reason to fix the world's problems. Most importantly, they also believed that the state should have limited power, with citizens securing their freedoms through contracts and institutions like the rule of law.
The book then examines how liberalism has evolved over the last few centuries. One of the key points that Deneen makes is that, while liberalism was intended to limit the power of the state and empower citizens, it has actually done the opposite. In the modern era, liberalism has enabled states to become more powerful and intrusive while people have become more disconnected from each other.
The book also argues that liberalism has been unable to deal effectively with the many social and economic problems of the modern world. Rather than improving the world and creating a more equal and just society, liberalism has in many ways worsened them. Deneen attributes this failure to the fact that liberal values are based on a rather individualistic view of the world and on a flawed notion of progress and human perfectibility.
Perhaps the most compelling sections of the book are those that discuss how liberalism has led to what Deneen calls “the unraveling” of key social and political structures, such as the family and national politics. The weakening of these structures, Deneen argues, has allowed individuals to become increasingly disconnected and isolated, leading to a society marked by extremes of wealth and poverty, aggressive individualism, and a sense of hopelessness and despair.
At the end of the book, Deneen offers some potential solutions to the problems of liberalism. These include a return to traditional values and the strengthening of communal ties and institutions, as well as more balanced economic models. He also calls for a re-examination of what it means to be a liberal and a reconsideration of the power exerted by the state.
In conclusion, Why Liberalism Failed is an important book that raises important questions about the state of our society. Deneen does an excellent job of illuminating the origins and manifestations of liberalism and its failures. He offers insightful and thought-provoking solutions to the problems of liberalism, and his critique of the ideology makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of how to move forward.
