The End of Liberalism: The Second Republic of the United States

by Theodore J. Lowi

This widely read book has become a modern classic of political science.

The main argument which Lowi develops through this book is that the liberal state grew to its immense size and presence without self-examination and without recognizing that its pattern of growth had problematic consequences. Its engine of growth was delegation. The government expanded by responding to the demands of all major organized interests, by assuming responsibility for programs sought by those interests, and by assigning that responsibility to administrative agencies. Through the process of accommodation, the agencies became captives of the interest groups, a tendency Lowi describes as clientelism. This in turn led to the formulation of new policies which tightened the grip of interest groups on the machinery of government.

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

331 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Theodore J. Lowi was John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions at Cornell University. He was elected president of the American Political Science Association in 1990 and was cited as the political scientist who made the most significant contribution to the field during the decade of the 1970s. Among his numerous books are The End of Liberalism and The Pursuit of Justice, on which he collaborated with Robert F. Kennedy.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book doesn't get five stars because it's perfect, or because I agree with everything in it, but because it's such a brilliant example of what a work of political science can be. Lowi combines clarity, insight, and passion in addressing the transformation of American government that occurred in the 20th century. Lowi argues that the reigning, even if sometimes unrecognized, American ideology is "interest group liberalism." Having given up on the idea of a common good that exists separately from whatever compromises various interests can agree to, these compromises are themselves held up as the common good. Much of the detailed work of policy making is done by regulatory agencies, who are themselves often led and staffed by people who have worked for, and have ties to, the interests they regulate. Congress tends to enact legislation with broad goals, and passes responsibility for the details off to the agencies. The last chapter proposes Lowi's alternative to interest group liberalism, "juridical democracy", that sounds somewhat conservative, but is appealing to anyone who believes in open government and deliberative democracy. (Although I fear it would result in a government that never gets a damn thing done.) This is a very quick and dirty summary, that can't do justice to this important book.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

In its day, an important work. The argument is that interest groups, in the then-ascendant liberal society, played a great role in the governance process. Government tended to respond to the interests, and administrative departments tended to defer nto them. This was the case in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Sometimes slow reading, but an interesting and--in its day--important thesis.

[Steven Groner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never guessed from the title that this book was actually published 50 years ago. Another surprise was the definition of 'liberalism' which Mr. Lowi views as original and creative thought applied to societal and community issues. He throws current 'liberals' and 'conservatives' into the same basket- each trying to modify existing bureaucracy to placate special interest groups... hardly big-picture thinking. Lowi fears that government at all levels has become too specialized and sub-divided, thereby lacking necessary resources to solve real issues. He fears for our federal government's health, including too much delegation and the resulting poor planning. This is a hard book to work through- very academic- however after the first few chapters, I found the issues presented compelling enough to press on and follow the discussion.

[Serge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excited to begin class discussion of this bok next week (for the next month). Students will analyze and respond to Lowi's model for the "New Public Philosophy (as of 1968) and compare tihs argument to Patrick Deneen's argument in the 2018 book "Why Liberalism Failed?" On their midtem in December, AP Gov students will offer a defense of liberalism that answers the misgivings of both Lowi and Deneen around questions of pluralism and equity.

[Daeny · Rating 4 out of 5]

food for thought

Also, you know it's old when the foreword references a professor from "Claremont Men's College".

[Amber Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a bit tired, so forgive me. The thesis of this work is absolutely spot-on. Lowi makes the case that what we're seeing in America, what he terms the "second republic," is the rise of interest-group liberalism, a variant or evolution of classic liberalism, which favors delegation of authority over rule of law and is much of the cause for the disjointed, ineffective federal policies we see today. It was especially fascinating to read this book during a presidential election (really any major political event would have sufficed). The work itself can get slow at times; what Lowi is trying to present requires digging very deeply into modern political philosophy, which oftentimes seems nonexistant as it is. Great read all the same.

[Shane Cormier · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that might see its time to come again in todays extremely liberal country we are living in. Hopefully we will see an end to this fake two party system. By reading this book I see that the ideas of what is Liberal and Democrat or Republican are slightly different today. Interesting, because if you dont read up on your history, you can be fooled much easier by these false politicians today who claim to be this or that when they are really the exact opposite,

[Ike Sharpless · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish more people understood that this country runs on what Lowi describes as "interest group liberalism" (a variant on the policy pluralism school of thought). Politicians denounce 'special interests' and say they'll stand up for the 'public interest', but this is usually meaningless in practice, and only goes unchallenged because if its sheer cloudy vagueness.