Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought

by Sheldon S. Wolin

This is a significantly expanded edition of one of the greatest works of modern political theory. Sheldon Wolin's Politics and Vision inspired and instructed two generations of political theorists after its appearance in 1960. This new edition retains intact the original ten chapters about political thinkers from Plato to Mill, and adds seven chapters about theorists from Marx and Nietzsche to Rawls and the postmodernists. The new chapters, which show how thinkers have grappled with the immense possibilities and dangers of modern power, are themselves a major theoretical statement. They culminate in Wolin's remarkable argument that the United States has invented a new political form, "inverted totalitarianism," in which economic rather than political power is dangerously dominant. In this new edition, the book that helped to define political theory in the late twentieth century should energize, enlighten, and provoke generations of scholars to come.

Wolin originally wrote Politics and Vision to challenge the idea that political analysis should consist simply of the neutral observation of objective reality. He argues that political thinkers must also rely on creative vision. Wolin shows that great theorists have been driven to shape politics to some vision of the Good that lies outside the existing political order. As he tells it, the history of theory is thus, in part, the story of changing assumptions about the Good.

In the new chapters, Wolin displays all the energy and flair, the command of detail and of grand historical developments, that he brought to this story forty years ago. This is a work of immense talent and intense thought, an intellectual achievement that will endure.

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, History, Nonfiction, Political Science, Sociology, Theory

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Sheldon Sanford Wolin was an American political theorist and writer on contemporary politics. A political theorist for fifty years, Wolin became Professor of Politics, Emeritus, at Princeton University, where he taught from 1973 to 1987.

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is my education in political thinking. Mr. Wolin generously shares his wealth of understanding in this tome which sometimes reads like a textbook but more often (I think) reads like an investigation.

[Rhys · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much that is interesting in Wolin's presentation of Western politics since Plato - from politics-as-virtue or essence, to salvation, to Machiavellian 'politics', to property, to institutional, to economic, to postmodern ... Perhaps the most useful metaphor Wolin employs to describe the ebb and flow of politics was 'centrifugal' forces of dispersion (Cynics, Romantics, Lutherians, postmodernism) against the centripetal forces of tradition, authority and control. All very interesting and objective scholarship. I never thought I would be interested in reading Hobbes, but now ... ?

"Democratic possibilities depend upon combining traditional localism and postmodern centrifugalism. That task is formidable, primarily because localism is typically the site of the “anti-modern centrifugals.” [...] The political value of such champions of the archaic is not as bearers of truth but as provocateurs whose passionate commitments can arouse self-consciousness in the public, stimulating the latter to become aware of what they believe and of the mixed legacies that compose a collective inheritance. The resulting controversies are crucial to the cause of anti-totality and its vitality" (p.604).

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads # Challenge 2025

Sheldon S. Wolin’s *Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought* is one of those monumental works that feels like standing at the crossroads of intellectual history and living political theory. I first read it in 2002, during my JNU days, a time when ideas themselves seemed like combustible material, capable of shaping not just academic debates but the rhythms of everyday life. Wolin’s text is not light reading—it is dense, intricate, and uncompromising—but it rewards patience with a panoramic vision of Western political thought, tracing the oscillations between normative ideals and real-world power structures with almost surgical precision.

At its core, Wolin’s project is audacious: to map the historical trajectory of political theory while simultaneously interrogating its contemporary relevance. He traces the evolution of ideas from classical antiquity through modernity, highlighting how concepts like democracy, sovereignty, and citizenship are not static abstractions but contested terrains, constantly reshaped by social, economic, and technological pressures. What stands out is Wolin’s insistence on context; political ideas are inseparable from the lived experience and historical conditions that produce them. This makes the work feel alive, rather than a mere catalog of doctrines. Reading it in the early 2000s, amid the post-Cold War global landscape and the ferment of student activism, the text felt almost urgent, a lens through which to view both the persistence and the fragility of democratic institutions.

One of Wolin’s enduring contributions is his conceptualization of “inverted totalitarianism,” though more elaborately developed in later writings, its seeds are visible here. He examines how political structures evolve subtly, often under the guise of continuity, masking deep transformations in the balance of power. This tension between continuity and innovation resonates through the book: thinkers are situated within tradition, yet each brings a disruptive element that challenges inherited assumptions. Wolin’s historiography refuses linearity; he presents political thought as a series of overlapping, sometimes conflicting currents, rather than a simple progression from primitive to sophisticated. This makes his narrative feel profoundly postmodern, even as it is rooted in meticulous scholarship.

Wolin’s treatment of democracy is especially compelling. He juxtaposes classical notions of civic engagement with modern bureaucratic and technocratic systems, revealing how the promise of self-governance often contends with structural and institutional constraints. His analysis cuts through idealized visions of democracy, presenting it as a living, contested practice rather than a fixed end-state. Reading this in the context of JNU’s politically charged atmosphere amplified its resonance: the text became more than theory—it became a meditation on participation, power, and the ethical responsibilities of both citizens and theorists.

Stylistically, Wolin is demanding but precise. He balances historical narrative with critical reflection, and while his sentences are long and intricately structured, they reward careful reading with deep insight. Each chapter is a meditation on the relationship between political theory and political practice, emphasizing the dialectical interplay between intellectual innovation and institutional constraints. In this sense, the book functions as both a reference and a guide, inviting readers to think critically about their own political moment while grounding those reflections in centuries of thought.

Reading *Politics and Vision* now, decades later, one is struck by its prescience. Wolin’s exploration of the fragility of democratic norms, the subtle encroachments of power, and the ethical stakes of political engagement feels hauntingly relevant in today’s world of polarization, populism, and institutional decay. The book is not just an academic exercise; it is a sustained invitation to interrogate the assumptions underlying governance, power, and civic life.

Ultimately, Wolin’s work embodies the tension between continuity and innovation that it seeks to describe. It is both a chronicle of Western political thought and a meditation on the act of thinking politically itself. Reading it is an intellectual immersion, a challenge to consider the persistence of ideas, the transformation of institutions, and the responsibilities of both theorists and citizens. For those willing to engage fully, *Politics and Vision* offers a rare combination of historical sweep, analytical rigor, and ethical provocation—a book that, once read, continues to echo in the mind long after the final page.

[Richard]

I'm a little dismayed I didn't learn about this a long time ago, when I was discovering some of the classic texts (e.g., The Lonely Crowd or The Organization Man .)

I just found it via the author's obituary: Sheldon S. Wolin, 93, Political Theorist Who Saw Limits of Popular Democracy, Dies.

From that obit:

❝“Politics and Vision,” subtitled “Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought,” appeared at a time when American political science was under the sway of the behavioralist revolution, which emphasized the quantitative analysis of data rather than political ideas as a way to explain political behavior.

Professor Wolin, then teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, galvanized the profession by gathering key political philosophers, beginning with the Greeks, in a grand debate on democracy and examining their ideas not as historical artifacts, but as a way to criticize current political structures.

“The book revitalized political theory by making its history relevant to an analysis of the present,” Nicholas Xenos, a student of Professor Wolin’s and a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, wrote in an email. “It challenged the behavioralists, for whom history was increasingly irrelevant. It also provided a way to criticize the present using the concepts and vocabulary that since antiquity had sustained concern for what he called ‘the possibilities of collectivity, common action and shared purposes.’ ”

In 1985, the American Political Science Association honored the book with the Benjamin E. Lippincott Award in recognition of its lasting impact. It was reissued in expanded form in 2004.❞

It appears to be quite appropriate to study today.

[Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheldon Wolin’s Politics and Vision is easily one of the most substantial books I’ve ever read. Correspondingly, it is also one of the most insightful.

Wolin presents a comparison and analysis of an entire tradition of thought; weaving a cohesive history of ideas through political philosophy from Plato to …well… his own [2004]. In so doing he explicates, with sagacity, dozens of thinkers. Along the way, he raises discerning questions of their roles in the tradition, as well as reflecting on the cohesion of their theories. He ends, famously, advancing his own theory of the US as an ‘inverted totalitarian’ state.

This is a remarkable work for many reasons. Firstly, perhaps most importantly for this review, this is a work of outstanding insight to all kinds of readers. Having studied philosophy for many years now I learned an enormous amount. However, Wolin is completely accessible in language and explanation to make this a rewarding introduction as well. Secondly, to this later point, Wolin makes easy work of, at times, confusing theories and systems. His writing is clear and precise. Thirdly, substance. This outstanding work was created in two parts, across 40 years, major political changes, a successful academic career, and the writing of many other impressive works in their own right. After all this Wolin’s theory at the end of Politics and Vision is resonant with our time, and offers a deeply important challenge to the next generation of thinkers and actors. It is, all by itself, worth reading 570 pages of ‘introduction.’

[Don Braun · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think the book is good, you should have heard his lectures at Cal.

Because I refer to PaV, so frequently, the old book is worn and should be rebound.

I was just reading a section on Augustine. I scribbled a quick question in the margin, two paragraphs later I had my answer integrated with a more comprehensive view of whatever I was checking. This was not the first time that happened when reading PaV. The book and one's background generate questions. Wolin seems to anticipate said questions and answers them precisely and with context.

Other than his outstanding lectures, I recall his care for his students. I thought and think him a giant.

[Rabia Otry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult read but definitely worth the struggle. It is life changing to read about postmodernism and how true politics is disappearing for something we mistakenly call politics. My eyes have been opened and I'm thirsty for more!

[Geraldine Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read about a third of this. It was interesting and informative but the print was so small it gave me headaches. And that was with my glasses on. I didn't want to but I had to give it up.

[Ayoto Ataraxia · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very thorough reveiw and analysis of christianity as political system beyond religiousity. showing the development of the church as a political institution, tracing through key figures of theological thought, tracing through plato, augistine to modern globalism under UN, IMF, NATO, which claims universal values that must be spread, justifying policies in the name of 'moral duty'.

clear evidence of christian universalism didn't disappear, but repressed as it transformed into secularized global ideologies, to claim moral superiority to justify imposing world order, according to christian political theory.

the book demonstrates the establishment of modern bureaucracies, from charismatic leadership of propherts and apostles to bureaucratic rule of bishops, councils, canon law. the church's survival tactics featuring cetnralization, heirarchy, legalism, etc.

neoliberalism thereby echoes protestantism. left and right wing ideologies reeanct tehological disputes, debates over human nature, authority, legitimacy of rebellion and problem of evil. therefore, to break free from inhereited dogmas, we need to first uncover the cristian logic as univresal, and develop new frameworks for power and resistance.

another thing to watch out for is augistine's idea of justified coercion, still informs political thought. state justifies force as a form of 'care' or 'protection'

people are structured and trained to observe authority, orthodoxy and obedience. therefore, it is crucial to understand how powewr maintains itself through adaptaion rather than revolution, as most reactionary decisions are ideological traps.

[Sergeant Darwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made it about 350 pages in before I admitted to myself how much I hate this book. There's a lot of information here but, man, Wolin's prose is D-R-Y. He also does that thing scholars do when they're incredibly enamored with their own cleverness, which is to insert random phrases in foreign languages and assume everyone will know what they mean. It's fine when you do this with "ad nauseam" or "ex nihilo" but Wolin uses this to the point of absurdity. At one point he just used a string of like 15 consecutive French words with absolutely no explanation.

Beyond the stylistic issues, this book could have benefited from a more rigorous structure. It reads like a collection of essays rather than a single line of thought (something that Tarnas's "Passion of the Western Mind" achieved), and even the essays themselves feel meandering and frenetic. Wolin obviously had a lot to say. I just wish he'd been more readable.

[Robin Bittick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent overview of political theories and contains interesting ideas about American politics and society. Sheldon S. Wolin's analysis of various political theories involves foundational ideas rooted in philosophy, something I highly value in any political analysis. One does not have to agree with Dr. Wolin's conclusions to appreciate his insights into various political theories and contemporary American culture.
My scholarly focus involves connecting theory to practice in various fields such as religion and politics, national security, and science and public policy. Given this, I especially appreciate Dr. Wolin including administrative aspects in his evaluation of political theories, as well as his evaluation of contemporary American politics and culture.
As such, I recommend this book to scholars and students of political theory.

[Praveen Kishore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic. A book which will not only broaden and deepen the understanding of political ideas and practices, but will also leave a lasting impression.

The expanded edition, which was written around a decade ago, adds seven new chapters to the original ten that were written in 1960, brings the story and analysis to the modern and postmodern world. These new chapters, focusing on Marx, Nietzsche, Popper, Dewey, Rawls, Liberalism, Power and Forms, Postmodernism, Democracy, and much more are a treasure trove, not to forget the original ten chapters, which on their own, are no less insightful.

Of course, the book will require apt attention as well as some intellectual maturity while reading. However, the rewards of such efforts would certainly be gratifying.

[Jon Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest modern political works. The expanded edition is superb, providing Wolin's pessimistic view of the future of politics after the disturbing rise of corporate power and increasingly "inverted totalitarian" system of the late 20th and early 21st century.

[WutsGucciMagilla? · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best at what it sets out to do.

[Michael Stenovec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eat your vegetables

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely stunningly beautiful. He manages to tour several thousand years of political theory. I've never seen anything this erudite before.

[Nehins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me a gustado mucho.
Alta traicion a la jude, pobrecita

[Tad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers pretty much the entire western history of political theory. it begins with an introduction to political theory and philosophy, and then proceeds to explain and interpret the tradition of western political theory and philosophy from the ancient Greeks to post-modernism. it is quite illuminating for serious students of political philosophy, and lets the average reader come in contact with the methods and subject matter of political theory itself. toward the end of the book sheldon offers a critical diagnosis of american demoracy which he expands upon in his new book Democracy Inc.

[Kristofer Petersen-Overton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magisterial. The breadth of Wolin's knowledge spanning the history of Western political thought is formidable. Not only is this book a highly readable history of the evolution of political theory, but it's also a great work of original theory in its own right, offering thoughtful analysis and insight in each chapter. The 2004 update is not quite as refined as the original half of the book, but it's still a remarkable text. I spent a lot of time reading and rereading it as a secondary source in preparation for my first doctoral exam in political theory.

[Jacob Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Wolin goes over different "eras" of political theory and provides an interesting view for each of them. Areas covered include Plato, the early Christian era, Calvin, liberalsm, Machiavelli, and much more. Overall this is a great book, if you are interested in this subject. If you are not, it would be difficult to get through, as Wolin can get quite wordy.

[Katrinka · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRILLIANT.

[Thomas]

Informative, but dull.

[Daniel Slasch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joya

[Maria Freeman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is interesting but a monster to read. There seems to be some problems with sticking to and developing a point.

[Anna]

.