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The Promise of Politics Hannah Arendt 9780805212136 Books

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The Promise of Politics Hannah Arendt 9780805212136 Books

A very interesting thesis: that politics is based on the exclusion of philosophy. Raises many questions, especially regarding the Aristotelian tradition and Alasdair MacIntyre's reconception of it today. It also raises issues regarding the inter-relationship between Marxism and the tradition of political philosophy--is it a critique or is it just more of the same? Arendt's analysis of the Greek and Roman political systems, their grounding in questions raised in their seminal myths about Greek identity and Roman identity grounded in the Trojan war is fascinating, and some good scholarship accompanies her claims. But one wonders how much her own experience as an exile and someone who suffered from WWII and Nazi Germany colors how she interprets these ur-texts. What ur-texts does she see grounding the Nazi regime?

Some of her ideas need further clarification. She never clearly defines freedom and uses the term in multiple ways throughout the text. Nor does she provide a firm answer to her primary question--what is the meaning of "politics" today. I'm not even sure if she gives good guidance for how to answer the question.

Still, her thought is inspirational in how she questions the tradition of politics. What it raises is questions about politics in native cultures. What would she have to say about democracy and politics among the Iroquois, for instance? Lots to ruminate over.

For instructors: I used this text in an independent study. Two philosophy majors--one a junior, one a senior--a art studio major/women's studies minor, senior, and an HPM major, junior. We read the text in three chunks. I was nervous at first, but the students handled it well--they got the gist of the concepts, were able to discuss the ideas, and to relate the ideas to concrete research projects (midwifery, post-partum depression, movies, and art).


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The Promise of Politics Hannah Arendt 9780805212136 Books Reviews

In "The Promise of Politics," Arendt describes how the failure of Western political thought failed to account for human action. The book begins with a twenty-seven page introduction by Jerome Kohn, the editor and actual architect of the Arendt writings which comprise this book.

The first half of the book consists of five chapters. In it, Arendt describes the teachings of Socrates (teacher)and Plato (pupil), an examination of Christianity, a change in Montesquieu's observations, Hegel (teacher)and Marx (pupil)are compared and contrasted, and finally, the "end" of traditional political philosophy. The end refers to the end of any conceived relationship between politics and philosophy (ala Aristotle), hence, the end of the tradition of political philosophy.

The second half of The Promise of Politics is essentially one large chapter (within the context of the book) titled, "Introduction Into Politics"-- note not "of" politics, or "about" politics, but "INTO" politics, almost to infer a distinction from an introduction out of politics. "What is politics?" she posits to the reader, and wuickly answers that there is no right philosophical answer. This is because philosophers are only concerned with man, and politics are the activities of men.

Arendt discusses the creation and origination of politics and goes on to describe how prejudices may affect a person's judgment within both foreign and domestic policy. After considering the purpose of politics, she then writes that of the meaning of politics, "the meaning of politics is freedom." She then spends time elaborating on this by examining the freedoms afforded by the governments of the Greeks, Romans and Trojans, as well as early American government.

Arendt appears to rely pretty heavily on much of Kant's work as she develops her thesis, but work by Nietzsche and Homer are also evident.
Hannah Arendt experienced understanding as passion. Aristotle and Plato wrote in the fourth century in a politically decaying society. Two Socratic insights, know thyself and be in agreement with the self, demonstrate the discovery of conscience even though there was no name for it. Solitude is necessary for the good functioning of the polis. The conflict between politics and philosophy was exemplified in the trial of Socrates. In Aristotle philosophers no longer felt responsible for the city. The philosopher wonders. Opinion and truth exist in opposition.

Only a small part of history is conceptualized in our tradition. Through Roman influence, religion, authority, and tradition are required for the foundation of society. Our foundation begins with the Roman acceptance of Greek philosophy. Philosophy begins with the asking of the question why is there something, not nothing. Montesquieu believed there must be more to government than power and laws. He reasoned what was missing was spirit. Virtue inspires acts in the republic, honor in monarchy, and fear in tyranny.

Marx and Hegel stand at the end of a tradition For Marx matter is beginning. Marx was prophetic, Hegel's worldview, by way of contrast, concerned the past. Arendt speaks of the inversion of Hegel in Marx and the reversal of Plato in Nietzsche. Marx liberated Hegelian dialectic and made possible the kind of process-thinking used in the nineteenth century ideologies. The process used to promulgate totalitarian ideologies is described.

The reason for politics is human plurality. Politics assumes incorrectly there is something in man that belongs to his essence. Man is apolitical. Politics exists between men, and thus, outside of man. The creation of man in God's image means solitary man. The West has tried to transform politics into history. The center of politics is concern for the world.

Arendt holds that the meaning of politics is freedom. In the Greek sense politics was an end, not a means. Totalitarianism holds that freedom must be sacrificed to historical development and that is terrifying. Plato, the father of political philosophy, set the academy apart from the political sphere. Revolutions and the participation of citizens have not developed a new kind of state. Limits and controls exist in the name of freedom. Politics is a means and freedom is an end.

There has been monstrous growth of the means of force and destruction available to the state. Arguably there has been a displacement of force. Politics in an age of hydrogen bombs poses particular problems and the situation is addressed by the author. The dropping of the atom bombs on Japan overstepped the limits of violent action the author avers. The destruction of Troy and Carthage are considered. The Trojan War has significance in both the beginning of the Greek polis and the beginning of Rome. Wars also shaped the twentieth century. The book ends with Nietzsche-- wordlessness.

The book is comprehensive in its treatment of politics. It is thought-provoking.
It's acceptable
A very interesting thesis that politics is based on the exclusion of philosophy. Raises many questions, especially regarding the Aristotelian tradition and Alasdair MacIntyre's reconception of it today. It also raises issues regarding the inter-relationship between Marxism and the tradition of political philosophy--is it a critique or is it just more of the same? Arendt's analysis of the Greek and Roman political systems, their grounding in questions raised in their seminal myths about Greek identity and Roman identity grounded in the Trojan war is fascinating, and some good scholarship accompanies her claims. But one wonders how much her own experience as an exile and someone who suffered from WWII and Nazi Germany colors how she interprets these ur-texts. What ur-texts does she see grounding the Nazi regime?

Some of her ideas need further clarification. She never clearly defines freedom and uses the term in multiple ways throughout the text. Nor does she provide a firm answer to her primary question--what is the meaning of "politics" today. I'm not even sure if she gives good guidance for how to answer the question.

Still, her thought is inspirational in how she questions the tradition of politics. What it raises is questions about politics in native cultures. What would she have to say about democracy and politics among the Iroquois, for instance? Lots to ruminate over.

For instructors I used this text in an independent study. Two philosophy majors--one a junior, one a senior--a art studio major/women's studies minor, senior, and an HPM major, junior. We read the text in three chunks. I was nervous at first, but the students handled it well--they got the gist of the concepts, were able to discuss the ideas, and to relate the ideas to concrete research projects (midwifery, post-partum depression, movies, and art).