Reviewed by Richard Tutin
When we want to make sense of modern society who can we turn to for some ideas and possible guidance? Philosophers spring to mind but the field is wide and varied. The same goes for other writers who have written about the state of their society as they saw it.
Professor of Politics at the University of Cambridge, David Runciman, offers some help. He has produced a list of twelve philosophers and writers who, through their writings, have been influential in the fields of equality, justice and revolution. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Jeremy Bentham, Fredrick Douglas, Rosa Luxemburg and Judith Shklar are some of these writers and philosophers whose works have influenced other thinkers as they work to understand and often make sense of society over the past few hundred years.
Runciman focuses on a particular work of piece of writing from each of them that has captured people’s attention and thought processes. Each one has often begun with a question or idea such as “what is social justice?” or “can one really be free after spending most of their life as a slave?”. Questions like these initiated a pattern of thought and action that differed from the norms of their society.
Each writer encountered challenges with the society or community in which they lived and worked, as well as difficulties with their personal experiences of life. For some life was not easy nor was it supportive of their desire to see things in a different way or light.
The challenges encountered by these writers are comparable to those being addressed in contemporary society. Many people today struggle to understand decisions made by governments and individuals. Modern media both mainstream and social haven’t helped to ease the situation though both claim that they exist for the good of society.
Reading through the works of those chosen by Runciman along with his commentary on their key work allows the reader to understand that perhaps there is nothing new under the sun. Issues such as same sex relationships, justice, inequality and slavery are as real today as they were at the time each writer was producing and publishing their books and articles. Their thoughts then are not locked into the society of their day but are available to all who take the time and trouble to both ask the same questions and seek answers and solutions that are applicable to current societal needs.
The past can often help us to understand the present. Runciman clearly demonstrates in The History of Ideas that this is the case. Although understanding a writer’s argument can take time, continuing to engage with it can provide clarity on the complexities of the world around us.
David Runciman is Professor of Politics at the University of Cambridge and the former Head of the Department of Politics and International Studies. His previous books include The Handover, Confronting Leviathan, Where Power Stops and How Democracy Ends.
The History of Ideas – Equality, Justice and Revolution
by David Runciman
(2024)
Profile
ISBN: 978 180081 590 2
$36.99; 305pp