The Poverty of Progressivism

In The Poverty of Progressivism, Jeffrey C. Isaac examines the weakening of liberalism—its causes, its consequences, and its significance for thinking about "left liberal" politics—and concludes that Progressive liberalism in America is at an impasse from which it is unlikely to recover. He contends that the frequently invoked liberal analogies between the present and the early part of the twentieth century are fundamentally mistaken and, ultimately, impractical. Instead, Isaac argues that liberals should look to civil society rather than a revitalized progressive state for the solutions to such public problems as economic insecurity, urban blight, and environmental degradation.

Linking together political theory, American history, journalism, and contemporary commentary, The Poverty of Progressivism defends a democratic politics of civil society without illusions.