Government Action and Morality - Some Principles and Concepts of Liberal-Deomocracy

This book was first published in 1964. Everything in politics has changed since then why a reprint? Because moral criticisms of governments haven't changed. Indeed, historical comparison suggests a disconcerting similarity. We still accept a liberal-democratic morality and politics and believe that it is individuals who bear moral responsibility. How can we reconcile the corporate actions of governments with individual responsibility? Is the private life of politicians relevant to their official actions? Should politicians resign if they disagree with government policy? These problems are still with us, and the 1964 discussion of them remains illuminating. We elect governments to further our material interests, but we also believe that they should express our moral ideals, for example by providing vaccines, alleviating poverty or supporting oppressed countries. Are moral ideals consistent with political realism? The book reconciles these apparently opposed positions by introducing the concept of governments as 'moral intermediaries.' The reconciliation develops liberal-democracy in a way that will interest political theorists. As a whole the book offers a readable discussion of the many ways in which morality has a bearing on government action, and it captures and analyses contemporary political and moral aspirations.

List of contents

New Preface Preface 1. The Aim and the Approach 2. The Nature of Morality 3. The Nature of Government 4. Government Action and Morality: Part One 5. Government Action and Morality: Part Two References Index

About the author

R. S. Downie

Summary

First published in 1964, Government Action and Morality is a philosophical study within the liberal-democratic tradition of the relationships between morality and government action, in both the domestic and the international field.

Product details

• Authors: Robert (R. S.) Downie
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.12.2022
• EAN: 9781032397924
• ISBN: 978-1-0-3239792-4
• No. of pages: 166
• Series: Routledge Revivals
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / Democracy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / American Government / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Commentary & Opinion, Social & political philosophy, Political science & theory, social and political philosophy, Political structures: democracy, Political science and theory, Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies, Centrist democratic ideologies