|
The son of Russian immigrants, Lipset was a political scientist who studied democracy, and argued that economic development and democracy were linked in a fundamental way. He felt the United States had a unique place in history, but was careful to point out that the U.S. has a lot to learn from other countries. "Those who only know one country, know no country," he liked to say. "More than any other figure, with the possible exception of John Kenneth Galbraith, [Lipset] plausibly explains to us baffled aliens why you Americans are so very odd," wrote a reviewer in the British paper the Guardian, which proclaimed Lipset "one of America's most useful intellectuals." The paper said Lipset explained "the really interesting questions that seldom seem to occur to the rest of you; why America never developed a serious socialist movement; why you exhibit almost Iranian levels of religiosity; why Canada is so different; and why you so hate turning out to vote but so enjoy joining voluntary organizations." Dr. Lipset enjoyed studying American culture. "We are the worst as well as the best, depending on which quality is being addressed," he once wrote. "Those who focus on moral decline, or on the high crime or divorce rates, ignore the evidence that much of what they deplore is closely linked to American values which presumably they approve of, those which make for achievement and independence." Lipset died December 31 after a stroke. He was 84. From This is True for 31 December 2006 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Seymour Martin Lipset List Price: $15.95 Amazon Price: $11.96 Editorial Review: A major political analyst explores the deeply held but often inarticulated beliefs that make up the American creed. Is America unique? One of our major political analysts explores the deeply held but often inarticulated beliefs that shape the American creed. "American values are quite complex," writes Seymour Martin Lipset, "particularly because of paradoxes within our culture that permit pernicious and beneficial social phenomena to arise simultaneously from the same basic beliefs." Born out of revolution, the United States has always considered itself an exceptional country of citizens unified by an allegiance to a common set of ideals, individualism, anti-statism, populism, and egalitarianism. This ideology, Professor Lipset observes, defines the limits of political debate in the United States and shapes our society. American Exceptionalism explains why socialism has never taken hold in the United States, why Americans are resistant to absolute quotas as a way to integrate blacks and other minorities, and why American religion and foreign policy have a moralistic, crusading streak.  By: Seymour Martin LipsetGary Wolfe MarksGary Marks List Price: $15.95 Amazon Price: $15.95 Editorial Review: Why socialism has failed to play a significant role in the United States—the most developed capitalist industrial society and hence, ostensibly, fertile ground for socialism—has been a critical question of American history and political development. Seymour Martin Lipset and Gary Marks "survey with subtlety and shrewd judgment the various explanations" (Wall Street Journal) for this phenomenon of American political exceptionalism. "Clearly written, intelligent, filled with new information" (Times Literary Supplement), this "splendidly convincing" (Michael Kazin, Georgetown University) work eschews conventional arguments about socialism's demise to present a fuller understanding of how multiple factors—political structure, American values, immigration, and the split between the Socialist party and mainstream unions—combined to seal socialism's fate.  By: Seymour Lipset List Price: $38.95 Amazon Price: $38.95 Editorial Review: Seymour Martin Lipset's highly acclaimed work is now available in paperback. Lipset draws material for his study from a number of sources: historical accounts, interpretations of literature and other creative arts by critics, qualitative studies of institutions such as law, religion, and government, aggregate statistics and survey data gathered by social scientists and commercial pollsters. Drawing a vivid portrait of the two countries, Continental Divide represents some of the best comparative social and political research being done today.  List Price: $18.95 Amazon Price: $18.95 Editorial Review: "There can be no question that the theme is enormously important. Having first-rate empirical material dedicated to a debate about the relevance of social class to politics of the century soon upon us will stimulate wide debate and will frame many graduate and undergraduate courses around the country, if not the globe. And these are the ideal contributors to take on this task." -- Alan Wolfe, Boston College Class and its linkage to politics became a controversial and exciting topic again in the 1990s. Terry Clark and Seymour Martin Lipset published "Are Social Classes Dying?" in 1991, which sparked a lively debate and much new research. The main critics of Clark and Lipset -- at Oxford and Berkeley -- held (initially) that class was more persistent than Clark and Lipset suggested. The positions were sharply opposed and involved several conceptual and methodological concerns. But the issues grew more nuanced as further reflections and evidence accumulated. This book draws on four main conferences organized by the editors. Sharply contrasting views are forcefully argued with rich and subtle evidence. The volume includes a broad overview and synthesis; major reports by leading participants; and original theoretical and empirical contributions.  By: Seymour Lipset List Price: $29.95 Amazon Price: $26.96 |
About the HUs
About This is True
Prev: Trauma surgeon Robert Freeark Next: Siren turned scary Yvonne De Carlo |