Abstract
Contradictions and the fragility inherent in Political Science concepts cause scholars to analyse current events with opposing views. In addition, not addressing ideological differences in concepts leads to the decoupling of theory and the empirical world. In short, the dilution of the meaning of concepts by generalising their individual components to develop generic, easy-to-use definitions leads to the creation of myths. A meaningful debate requires a revisionist perspective by engaging cultural and political debates that are strictly defined in Western terms. Paolo Ercolani’s book, The West Removed: Economics, Democracy, Freedom: A Counter-History of Our Civilization, addresses contradictions in concepts by providing a format and style for all levels of Political Science. In his book, Ercolani discusses several concepts (liberalism, freedom and Marxism) and classical thinkers (Friedrich Hayek, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, and Karl Popper) to demonstrate how Western thought has promoted inconsistencies in myths.
To understand the multifaceted nature of democracy and liberalism, the importance does not lie in the empowerment of citizens but in the protection provided by the state to specific segments of society to control political and economic power. The author analyses On Liberty by John Stuart Mill to argue for an alternative understanding of individual liberties and the protection of the majority. He concludes that Mill’s intention was not in fact to limit the role of government in society but that his real purpose was to protect popular government from the mob. In raising this claim, Ercolani’s book stresses that scholars of Mill focus too heavily on democratic values and not enough on democratic structures. This, in turn, underemphasises the political and economic mechanisms that allow the state to strengthen its political power structure. While Ercolani’s analysis challenges the democratic system, the basic tenet of his book is to demonstrate the dialectical process between individual liberties and the protection of the majority.
On the contrary, Hayek’s liberalism addresses individual liberties by dismantling the protection of the majority. In fact, liberalism protects the individual through property rights leading to an economic system that uses the state as an insurance mechanism. This poses the question whether Hayek’s definition is actually based on conservative ideology. On the contrary, Ercolani presents a Marxist critique on the concepts of liberalism and freedom that demonstrate the importance of the conflict between conservative and progressive ideology. In essence, he makes the assertion that societal conflict is a result of liberalism with the intent to dismantle class power structures. To ensure political stability, liberalism protects sections of society that are net beneficiaries of the liberal world order. The author draws on International Political Economy (IPE) scholarship that demonstrates how democratic and liberal thought have created a societal deficit in addressing individual liberties, wealth, gender and race.
IPE literature involves a fierce debate on the effects of self-regulation and bringing efficiencies and equality to the market. Ercolani’s book challenges Hayek’s liberalism dichotomy by dividing liberalism into a continental European and an Anglo-American school of thought which have distinct contradicting characteristics when it comes to self-determination, freedom, property rights and the role of the state in society. While liberals have created a political rhetoric of overarching generalities on freedoms, they have created a consensus that civil liberties can only be achieved by promoting individual rights. On the contrary, the author demonstrates that there is a clear conservative strain of liberalism in the continent of Europe that focuses on upholding individual rights through protecting society as a collective. For example, Ercolani brings to the readers’ attention the intellectual debate between Hayek and Hobhouse on the tenets of freedom and equality in classical liberalism. As liberal ideology has allowed the state to protect landowners and tax payers, the governing elite has faced resistance from Western society in upholding liberal values.
In the debate over the impact of capitalism on society, there is a clear divide between Hayek and Popper over the exploitation of labour in society. Ercolani describes that Popper’s world view aligns and supports Marxist ideologies of state interventionist policies in controlling private entities through public resources. Popper’s stance on the effects of the role of the state directly challenges Hayekian liberalism. This creates the democratic myth that free markets and liberalism enhance pluralism and have self-correcting mechanisms to prove economic neutrality. The concepts that plagued classical thinkers from Mill to Popper are evident in current political debates on both sides of the Atlantic. Without re-addressing Western concepts of liberalism and freedom, Western civilisation is doomed to illiberal ends in counteracting its mythical creations. Ercolani’s book poses a timely and pressing question of how civilisation will address the rise of political discontent in the face of populism and terrorism.
To challenge the one-sidedness of liberal and democratic thought, Ercolani’s book offers a timely critique that should be taken seriously by scholars in Political Science. The book stresses the importance of the power structure put in place by democracy and liberalism by focusing on who wields influence and benefits from the system. This allows Ercolani’s analysis to address the political differences and social alternatives that dominate neoliberal logic. The book ends with the author’s claim that the current political establishment is in denial about the impact of liberalism on societies. This leaves the question of how we should address problems of inequality, corruption, and the rise of populism. As scholars, we should challenge the myths present in current political discourse by promoting a normative framework for upholding civil liberties fundamental to democracy. This is a very telling title, The West Removed: Economics, Democracy, Freedom: A Counter-History of Our Civilization, and is worth the read for scholars who want to be challenged.