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The Present Age: Progress and Anarchy in Modern America
The Present Age
challenges readers to reexamine the role of the United States in the world since World War I. Nisbet criticizes Americans for isolationism at home, discusses the gutting of educational standards, the decay of education, the presence of government in all facets of life, the diminished connection to community, and the prominence of economic arrangements driving everyday life in America.
This work is deeply indebted to the analyses of Tocqueville and Bryce regarding the threats that bureaucracy, centralization, and creeping conformity pose to liberty and individual independence in the western world. The Present Age relates a tragedy—the unprecedented militarization of American life in the decades after 1914, as the result of the necessary resistance to National Socialist and Communist totalitarianism that fed into and reinforced the profound tendencies toward centralization within modern society.
Robert Nisbet (1913–1996), former professor of sociology at Columbia University, is the author of Sociology as an Art Form; The Social Philosophers; Prejudices: A Philosophical Dictionary; The Sociological Tradition; History of the Idea of Progress; and Twilight of Authority, also published by Liberty Fund.
This work is deeply indebted to the analyses of Tocqueville and Bryce regarding the threats that bureaucracy, centralization, and creeping conformity pose to liberty and individual independence in the western world. The Present Age relates a tragedy—the unprecedented militarization of American life in the decades after 1914, as the result of the necessary resistance to National Socialist and Communist totalitarianism that fed into and reinforced the profound tendencies toward centralization within modern society.
Robert Nisbet (1913–1996), former professor of sociology at Columbia University, is the author of Sociology as an Art Form; The Social Philosophers; Prejudices: A Philosophical Dictionary; The Sociological Tradition; History of the Idea of Progress; and Twilight of Authority, also published by Liberty Fund.
156 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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173 people want to read
About the author
Robert A. Nisbet
52 books80 followersAmerican sociologist, professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Vice-Chancellor at the University of California, Riverside and as the Albert Schweitzer Professor at Columbia University.
After serving in the US Army during World War II, when he was stationed on Saipan in the Pacific theatre, Nisbet founded the Department of Sociology at Berkeley, and was briefly Chairman. Nisbet left an embroiled Berkeley in 1953 to become a dean at the University of California, Riverside, and later a Vice-Chancellor. Nisbet remained in the University of California system until 1972, when he left for the University of Arizona at Tucson. Soon thereafter, he was appointed to the prestigious Albert Schweitzer Chair at Columbia.
On retiring from Columbia in 1978, Nisbet continued his scholarly work for eight years at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington D.C. In 1988, President Reagan asked him to deliver the Jefferson Lecture in Humanities, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Nisbet's first important work, The Quest for Community (New York: Oxford University Press, 1969) contended that modern social science's individualism denied an important human drive toward community as it left people without the aid of their fellows in combating the centralizing power of the national state.
Nisbet is seen as follower of Emile Durkheim in the understanding of modern sociocultural systems and their drift. Often identified with the political right, Nisbet began his career as a political liberal but later confessed a conversion to a kind of philosophical Conservatism
After serving in the US Army during World War II, when he was stationed on Saipan in the Pacific theatre, Nisbet founded the Department of Sociology at Berkeley, and was briefly Chairman. Nisbet left an embroiled Berkeley in 1953 to become a dean at the University of California, Riverside, and later a Vice-Chancellor. Nisbet remained in the University of California system until 1972, when he left for the University of Arizona at Tucson. Soon thereafter, he was appointed to the prestigious Albert Schweitzer Chair at Columbia.
On retiring from Columbia in 1978, Nisbet continued his scholarly work for eight years at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington D.C. In 1988, President Reagan asked him to deliver the Jefferson Lecture in Humanities, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Nisbet's first important work, The Quest for Community (New York: Oxford University Press, 1969) contended that modern social science's individualism denied an important human drive toward community as it left people without the aid of their fellows in combating the centralizing power of the national state.
Nisbet is seen as follower of Emile Durkheim in the understanding of modern sociocultural systems and their drift. Often identified with the political right, Nisbet began his career as a political liberal but later confessed a conversion to a kind of philosophical Conservatism
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 11, 2012
The book is divided into three sections. The first focuses on the militarization of American society starting with the Wilson Administration. Nisbet then explains how this directly is related to what he calls the "New Absolutism" which he explains in the second section. This absolutism is the mentality that all matters 'go through' the state and that the national state is also the 'community'. This all leads to the final section which focuses on "The Loose Individual". Here is says, "Repeatedly in history the combination of war and political centralization leads to a fraying effect upon the social fabric. Threads are loosened by the tightening of power at the center." He then proceeds to explain this sort of 'anarchy' that has developed in the loosening of personal ties because of the imposition of the national state in everyone's lives and the culture of absolutism and warfare especially. This is a must read, mostly due to the observances of this chapter.
I would also suggest reading this juxtaposed against Allan Bloom's "Closing of the American Mind." Nisbet directly challenges the main 'solution' Bloom argues for of how to solve the vacant thought and education found in higher ed.
I would also suggest reading this juxtaposed against Allan Bloom's "Closing of the American Mind." Nisbet directly challenges the main 'solution' Bloom argues for of how to solve the vacant thought and education found in higher ed.
March 7, 2021
An excellent little book that skillfully and poetically contextualizes the enormous transformations that occurred in American life from 1917 through the second Reagan term. Though showered with accolades by Reagan, he still excoriates the Gipper throughout. Should be recommended reading for students of American history and society as it strangely (and sadly) evolved in the short 20th century. One of the most interesting and articulate conservatives I've come across in a while.
January 21, 2018
In this short, but punchy work, American sociologist Robert Nisbet begins by asking what the American founders would find to be different if they were to examine American society today. According to Nisbet there are three areas in which the country has changed dramatically; the prevalence of war, the increase in political centralization, and the rise of the "loose individual" who is not anchored to traditional institutions such as family and community (the subject of his much larger work "The Quest for Community"). In three sections Nisbet examines why the change came about and what effects it has had on American life.
Although the book is short, Nisbet is able to use his framework to analyze many areas of American history and culture, ranging from politics, business, higher education, football, and literature, to film. While one will inevitably find things to disagree and quibble about, I suspect that the average reader who was tempted to pick up this book in the first place would find it to be stimulating and thought-provoking.
Although the book is short, Nisbet is able to use his framework to analyze many areas of American history and culture, ranging from politics, business, higher education, football, and literature, to film. While one will inevitably find things to disagree and quibble about, I suspect that the average reader who was tempted to pick up this book in the first place would find it to be stimulating and thought-provoking.
April 16, 2024
It is a really fantastic analysis of American politics post-WWI that connects many developments and features to changes that started with WWI. There is a particular focus on community absent from a lot of modern conservative thinking, and the cash-driven free market system is not left without critique.
April 28, 2023
boooo had to read for class and every poly sci class book gets an automatic 3 stars
September 3, 2016
Excellent presentation of the old-line American political philosophy resistant to the encroachments of all State bureaucracy, including the total military apparatus.
This book is based on Nisbet’s Jefferson Lecture in the late 1980’s. Very readable and highly thought-provoking.
The first chapter explains the role of World War I in the destruction of American traditions.
Woodrow Wilson played an important role in centralizing power for purposes of war-mongering in order to supposedly “spread democracy” throughout the world.
"War is the health of the State" wrote Randolph Bourne in the progressive era. He was "right" according to Nisbet.
Centralized Statehood in the 20th century is presented by Nisbet with the candor of consistent political realism. The Present Age can help the reader "see through" the political propaganda (often regurgitated) by filtering 20th century social events through the historical perspective of an American sociologist with a "long" memory (so to speak).
Nisbet’s core thesis is that the attack on Intermediary Institutions as well as the expansion of parasitic organizations that live off the government largesse leads to a "new absolutism” where the soft despotism of the majority envelops every facet of life.
Rousseau is the major culprit for enticing sophisticated intellectuals in political power to sanctify the will of the social body absolutely. The principle of democracy is then endowed by the government with an almost mystical agenda which grants the right to govern to those who act in the name of majority rule (barring moral constraint or limit to power).
The same time that the American government assumes power beyond constitutional limits to dominate or control the populace in ever more invasive ways, Intermediary Institutions disintegrate in direct correlation.
For Nisbet, the “loose individual” devolves into an isolated atom of society.
Anonymous communities care little for historical ties via voluntary associations, or punishment by taboo, or pious respect for traditions knit-together by family or heritage.
Rather, the free-standing individual is left to define existence in whatever way suits him or her, with no restriction in substantial moral laws of any kind.
A natural right of private property is then logically accosted with greater desires for empowering impersonal State managers to counter the rise of impersonal corporate managers.
The old America of "human-scale" property owned or controlled by individual families or partnerships is then typically dominated by corporate money supported by banking programs sponsored by the State.
Modern States end in paying off the trampled as well as those doing the trampling to maintain peace.
Corporate property inevitably expands when personal responsibility for investment interests is divested of individual ownership for the sake of buying and selling on inflationary exchanges fueled by State currencies.
Corporate bodies compete with the government, but (in essence) either private or public corporate bodies depersonalized or allowed free-reign to dominate end in reaping the same destruction on the vision of America that Nisbet and others once knew.
The Present Age is short, but to the point. An important read for alternative views of the "good life" in America.
This book is based on Nisbet’s Jefferson Lecture in the late 1980’s. Very readable and highly thought-provoking.
The first chapter explains the role of World War I in the destruction of American traditions.
Woodrow Wilson played an important role in centralizing power for purposes of war-mongering in order to supposedly “spread democracy” throughout the world.
"War is the health of the State" wrote Randolph Bourne in the progressive era. He was "right" according to Nisbet.
Centralized Statehood in the 20th century is presented by Nisbet with the candor of consistent political realism. The Present Age can help the reader "see through" the political propaganda (often regurgitated) by filtering 20th century social events through the historical perspective of an American sociologist with a "long" memory (so to speak).
Nisbet’s core thesis is that the attack on Intermediary Institutions as well as the expansion of parasitic organizations that live off the government largesse leads to a "new absolutism” where the soft despotism of the majority envelops every facet of life.
Rousseau is the major culprit for enticing sophisticated intellectuals in political power to sanctify the will of the social body absolutely. The principle of democracy is then endowed by the government with an almost mystical agenda which grants the right to govern to those who act in the name of majority rule (barring moral constraint or limit to power).
The same time that the American government assumes power beyond constitutional limits to dominate or control the populace in ever more invasive ways, Intermediary Institutions disintegrate in direct correlation.
For Nisbet, the “loose individual” devolves into an isolated atom of society.
Anonymous communities care little for historical ties via voluntary associations, or punishment by taboo, or pious respect for traditions knit-together by family or heritage.
Rather, the free-standing individual is left to define existence in whatever way suits him or her, with no restriction in substantial moral laws of any kind.
A natural right of private property is then logically accosted with greater desires for empowering impersonal State managers to counter the rise of impersonal corporate managers.
The old America of "human-scale" property owned or controlled by individual families or partnerships is then typically dominated by corporate money supported by banking programs sponsored by the State.
Modern States end in paying off the trampled as well as those doing the trampling to maintain peace.
Corporate property inevitably expands when personal responsibility for investment interests is divested of individual ownership for the sake of buying and selling on inflationary exchanges fueled by State currencies.
Corporate bodies compete with the government, but (in essence) either private or public corporate bodies depersonalized or allowed free-reign to dominate end in reaping the same destruction on the vision of America that Nisbet and others once knew.
The Present Age is short, but to the point. An important read for alternative views of the "good life" in America.
October 3, 2014
This book barely scratches the surface of some of the deeper themes that Robert Nisbet is exploring (as it is made up of lectures this makes sense) regarding how the military-industrial-complex, the massive rise of government influence (he may even have coined the phrase "the politicization of everything"), and the way in which the destruction of the mediating influences in society all work together to kneecap Western society. The last chapter has a section on the subjective's victory over the objective through the Cartesian foundation which led to Rousseau and then finally to the work of Post-Freudian Derrida that defines so much of "literary theory", which Nisbet very craftily neuters and makes the whole book worthwhile.
Highly Recommend.
Highly Recommend.
April 24, 2007
good collection of examples of anarchism in america.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews