Victor Davis Hanson (VDH) reminds his readers what it means to be a "citizen" of a nation state, using his expertise of ancient Greek and Roman society and guiding readers through is lens of the 16th & 17th century Enlightenment, the Federalists including the philosophy and ideals behind the creation of the US republic, and US history in the last 150 years. Hanson's interpretation is that a citizen is economically autonomous. VDH repeats through many examples that the notion of citizenship requires a large, strong middle class who have "material security." Otherwise, VDH warns, all societies divide into "masters and peasants." This concept is similar to Karl Marx's analyses of capitalism in most of Marx's books and essays, except that Marx perceives ownership participation in the "means of production" to be "material security." Most of The Dying Citizen is VDH's analysis of the "new American peasantry," exemplified by student-debt-ridden younger folks, the USA's embrace of self-destructive policies in globalization, and "tribal" loyalties to ethnic or cultural groups instead of their nation state (place). VDH goes into details of the popularity and people who support these trends, including sanctuary cities, political correctness commissars, intentional destruction of civics education, and other societal & economic trends that have destroyed US citizenship.
Unfortunately, VDH spends too many pages analyzing the presidency of Donald J Trump specifically instead of illuminating the decades-long changes in the relationship among people living in the USA to their nation state of residence, and citizenship globally in the 21st century. I expect more from such a great scholar. 3/5 Stars.
4 comments:
That is all cultural. We adopted meaning of that words "peasants" from late feodal-early capitalistic era.
But in other times, at other places bonds between "peasants" and "masters" was quite different.
Like mutual dependence. Peasants was paying for land and even their right to stay alive... but same time, in time of troubles, they could find safe place in that masters stronghold.
Same was(is?) within capitalism too. While corporation is small, while its mere survival depen on each worker doing his job diligently on his place -- there can be some, even fraternal bonds between workers and CEO.
But.
In an enormous monopolistic corporation...
Regarding "it is all cultural," Yes. The analysis is 100% cultural. VDH is a Greek/Latin scholar and Western civilization / politics scholar. He does not consider the nóng (农/農) or other non-Western societies.
Regarding capitalism and relationships among workers, their corporations, and elites: VDH is explaining why citizenship and consensual governance requires a strong, vibrant middle class, defined as a large number of people who have independent capability of generating wealth for themselves. He explains in detail how Industrial workers in the 20th century and Information Workers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries in the USA had such capabilities despite their relationships to corporations. This class of people in the USA has dwindled to irrelevance and VDH posits this shrinking middle class is one reason for the loss of active civic duty (citizenship) among USA residents.
Do you know/interested in theory of science?
It is not my try to claim superiority in anything, just attempt to find what terminology you accustomed with, which questions like to ponder?
Because, that what you described -- that is called "phenomenology" -- that is when we just decribe object of our research, with all details and eye-catching quirks.
That is pre-scientific type of researching. Like when Carl Linnaeus made his taxonomy.
Scientific one, presumes choosing some framework -- called theory -- within which only some of traits are important while other can be neglected. Like Charles Darwin did.
That is how that "middle class" looks for me. Just some eye-catching phenomenon, without explanation why it so important. Without theory behind it.
PS Don't sweat it much, if something. You gave me your piece of mind and I shared with you mine. Nothing more here. (well, to be frank, I really would like it, if there'd be something more, but that is totally up to you to decide)
I see... toom complex.
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