2009-12-05 - How political idealism threatens civilisation

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DATE : Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1000
Entered in Database : 2009-12-04 14:00:00
length : 12051584
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In the eighteenth century, advanced thinkers took up the idea that society was imperfect and that what you do with imperfections is get rid of them. The result was that the growth of large radical projects aimed at transforming things - the French Revolution being a dramatic case. The basic issue was how to transcend conflict and achieve harmony. But is the search for harmony compatible with a free society? This week, Kenneth Minogue, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics argues against harmony and puts the case for a contentious political life.

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