Civic Republicanism

by Iseult Honohan

Civic Republicanism is a valuable critical introduction to one of the most important topics in political philosophy. In this book, Iseult Honohan presents an authoritative and accessible account of civic republicanism, its origins and its problems. The book examines all the central themes of this political theory. In the first part of the book, Honohan explores the notion of historical tradition, which is a defining aspect of civic republicanism, its value and whether a continued tradition is sustainable. She also discusses the central concepts of republicanism, how they have evolved, in what circumstances civic republicanism can be applied and its patterns of re-emergence. In the second part of the book, contemporary interpretation of republican political theory is explored and question of civic virtue and participation are raised. What is the nature of the common good? What does it mean to put public before private interests and what does freedom mean in a republican state? Honohan explores these as well as other questions about the sustainability of republican thought in the kind of diverse societies we live in today. Civic Republicanism will be essential reading for students of politics and philosophy.

Genres: Politics, Philosophy

340 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2002

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

How would I understand Arendt without Honohan? Perfectly explains civic republicanism in a way that is understandable rather than full of political philosophy that is harder to follow

[Michel Lamblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A broad and detailed overview of the historical strands of republican and civic republican thought, and of contemporary interpretations and discussions of republicanism's most important contributions to political thought, viz., sustaining of civic virtue, broadening the conceptions of political freedom in lieu of (and sometimes in contrast to) Philip Pettit's very influential notion of 'freedom as non-domination', and the essential tenets of participation and deliberation in a shared political community (based on interdependence, not ethnicity or culture) in realizing a more free and just way of living.

The first part of the book, the historical section, takes a systematic dissemination of the influences of Aristotle, Cicero, Machiavelli, Harrington, Montesquieu (not mentioned in the chapter title, oddly), Rousseau, Madison, Wollstonecraft, Arendt and Taylor, while the second part is a less well organized approach to surveying the contemporary debates and issues of republicanism; it warrants a second, closer reading to keep afresh Honohan's arguments and real world (usually Irish) examples. But republicanism still remains an ideal, as she states at the end:

"We do not now live in republican communities. The republican ideal calls for significant change in the attitudes and aspirations of citizens, the legal guarantees of non-domination, the levels and kinds of political participation, and the treatment of issues of difference. As well as institutional changes, these would require people to accept certain trade-offs between, for example, individual and common goods, independent range of choice and security of freedom from domination, consumption and self-direction." (p.289)

Republicanism rests somewhere between liberal proceduralism and direct democracy, somewhere amidst (though striving to be above) the liberal-communitarian debates post-A Theory of Justice. Some concise summaries of what republicanism is appear toward the ends of chapters in the second part, such as:

"The substance of republican politics is based on interdependence (rather than commonality), is created in deliberation (not pre-politically), emerges in multiple publics to which all can contribute, and is not definitive but open to change." (p.249)

In Chapter VIII, 'Recognition and Inclusion in a Pluralist World', Honohan reminds us of the importance of identity and recognition in politics, an important reminder today in light of the backlash from all sides of the political spectrum against the monolithic and oft misunderstood 'identity politics':

"Issues of identity have gained a new salience in societies of very diverse citizens. The social confirmation of identity is increasingly seen as essential to human flourishing. [...] Such personal identity is not expressed purely in individual actions and values, but through social and cultural practices, including legal and political relationships. If legal and political structures and practices that are ostensibly neutral actually reflect the values of a dominant mainstream, they will impinge differently on members of minorities. People may be misrecognised when social norms and institutions overlook their differences, exclude their voices, or marginalise their values from the public political realm. In consequence, we have increasingly seen political struggles not only for just distribution of resources and power, but also for equal recognition. A major dimension of this is providing public legal and institutional equality, but, as the term implies, recognition also requires a deepening of relations of respect between citizens. Where politics provides recognition, citizens have not only vertical obligations to support just institutions, but also lateral obligations of solidarity with their fellow citizens with whom they form a political community rather than an association of strangers." (emphases mine) (pp.250-51)

[Arbitrista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strong work. The first half of the book gives a wonderfully systematic analysis of republican intellectual tradition, while the second half lays out Honohan's own distinct version, which is quite different from Pettit's better-known account. I could quibble with some of the specifics, but on the whole I think it is an extremely valuable work and greatly informed my own thinking on the subject.