Four systems

by Carl Cohen

Four systems -- politico-philosophical systems -- compete for our allegiance: -- Socialist Democracy -- Individualist Democracy -- Fascism -- Communism In this book a persuasive case is made in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394325311
• ISBN13: 9780394325316
• Release Date: January 1982
• Publisher: Random House
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Concise and unique little introductory text

It's a shame this small book is out of print, because, though there are many, many excellent books on political philosophy, there is no book in the field today that I know of which approaches this in quite the way Cohen does. Cohen presents the four systems of the title - Socialist Democracy, Individualist Democracy, Fascism, and Communism - from the point of view of an advocate, and attempts (almost always successfully) to present each system as positively as possible. Cohen says, "Each of these systems... is defended, in turn, in the authentic voice of its advocates. The best arguments for each are given their most forceful statements. I try to represent each with complete honesty, holding nothing back, distorting nothing to the advantage of one system or the disadvantage of another. I try to defend each so persuasively that its wise and earnest supporters would say, upon reading my account, 'Yes, that's just what we mean - and that's just the way that we would say it ourselves.'" Of course, such an attempt is hermeneutically impossible. But Cohen has come as close as possible, going back to the intellectual roots of each system, using primary sources and shying away from contentious or bellicose partisanship. The result is a fair and balanced introductory textbook with a unique voice.