The Modern Social Conflict: An Essay on the Politics of Liberty

Hammering out a liberal policy of basic economic entitlements for all citizens should be number one on any modern democracy's political agenda, argues Dahrendorf, a political theorist at St. Antony's College, Oxford. But labeling the author a liberal would oversimplify his unorthodox thinking. For example, he suggests community service and redistribution of work as possible options for achieving greater equality. He criticizes World Bank foreign-aid projects that benefit the haves while leaving the have-nots in the lurch. The German-born Dahrendorf repeats his often-criticized thesis that Hitler's National Socialism cleared the way for Germany's modernization. The least convincing sections of his book argue that class conflict is a dead issue. The most original parts develop provocative views, such as his assertion that the Soviet Union and China are closer to autocracy than to totalitarianism. (Nov.)