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This book provides a groundbreaking empirical study on the persistence of religious morality in an increasingly secular world. Analyzing data from the 2019 2022 World Values Survey and European Values Survey, it examines religious adherence and morality across 82 countries and over 400 political parties. Using advanced index methodologies, the study reveals where and how religious norms, particularly those rooted in the Ten Commandments, continue to shape social values and how this affects political party support.
Essential for scholars, policymakers, and religious communities, this book challenges the notion that secularization is inevitable and explores the complex relationship between faith, politics, and global development.
In this book, Arno Tausch, a political scientist associated with the University of the Free State in South Africa, impressively demonstrates that the Western political left would be well advised to return to the fundamental values of social democracy that are open to world religions, as set out by Karl Polanyi, rather than following the ideas of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler. From the perspective of the Global South, he radically reveals how the Western world is moving away from the ethical imperatives of world religions. This is a disturbing yet highly topical issue, as evidenced by the recent elections in America.
Werner J. Patzelt, Professor Emeritus of Political Systems and Comparative Politics, TU Dresden / MCC Brussels, Visiting Professor of Research
Incisive and erudite, Arno Tausch s latest offering Global Publics, Political Parties and Morality: An analysis based on the World Values Survey is a magnificent account of the state of the politicisation of faith in different contexts. Theoretically anchored and empirically rich, this book is a must for those seeking to grapple with the place of religion in our fragile polities .
Professor Hussein Solomon, Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of the Free State, South Africa
List of contents
Chapter 1. Introduction: The Vengeance of the Ten Commandments. Chapter 2. Background: The Secularist Error of Giving Up on God: why secularists are wrong in an increasingly multicultural society.- Chapter 3. Methodology and Data.- Chapter 4. Empirical results based on the non-parametric Index of Religious Morality.- Chapter 5. Empirical results based on the non-parametric Index of Religious Morality.- Chapter 6. Direct Measurements of Observing the Ten Commandments in the World Values Survey.- Chapter 7. The Kuznets Curves of Religious Morality.- Chapter 8. Good-Bye 1968:multicultural values and Generations.- Chapter 9. Overall Conclusion: Giving Up on the Ten Commandments: Not a Good Idea for Society?.
About the author
Arno Tausch is currently a visiting professor of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. He is also an adjunct professor of Political Science at Innsbruck University, Department of Political Science, Innsbruck University, Austria (since 1988). Tausch authored or co-authored books and articles for major international publishers and journals, including 33 books in English, 2 books in French, 9 books in German, and currently 123 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 32 articles in edited volumes, and numerous press articles in the media of several countries.
Summary
This book provides a groundbreaking empirical study on the persistence of religious morality in an increasingly secular world. Analyzing data from the 2019–2022 World Values Survey and European Values Survey, it examines religious adherence and morality across 82 countries and over 400 political parties. Using advanced index methodologies, the study reveals where and how religious norms, particularly those rooted in the Ten Commandments, continue to shape social values and how this affects political party support.
Essential for scholars, policymakers, and religious communities, this book challenges the notion that secularization is inevitable and explores the complex relationship between faith, politics, and global development.
“In this book, Arno Tausch, a political scientist associated with the University of the Free State in South Africa, impressively demonstrates that the Western political left would be well advised to return to the fundamental values of social democracy that are open to world religions, as set out by Karl Polanyi, rather than following the ideas of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler. From the perspective of the Global South, he radically reveals how the Western world is moving away from the ethical imperatives of world religions. This is a disturbing yet highly topical issue, as evidenced by the recent elections in America.”
Werner J. Patzelt, Professor Emeritus of Political Systems and Comparative Politics, TU Dresden / MCC Brussels, Visiting Professor of Research
“Incisive and erudite, Arno Tausch’s latest offering Global Publics, Political Parties and Morality: An analysis based on the World Values Survey is a magnificent account of the state of the politicisation of faith in different contexts. Theoretically anchored and empirically rich, this book is a must for those seeking to grapple with the place of religion in our fragile polities”.
Professor Hussein Solomon, Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of the Free State, South Africa
