Political Discipline in a Free Society (Routledge Library Editions: Political Science Volume 40)

This book traces the rise and fall of political philosophies since the 17th century. The main argument is that social control is at its best a deliberate joint creation of and learning from social experience; and in this sense political discipline although not the same as logical or scientific discipline is like them a submission to form, not force. The book gives a definite meaning to the idea of human progress and finds reason for a restoration of political hope and faith.