The Politics of Selfishness : How John Locke's Legacy Is Paralyzing America

In this thought-provoking book, the author argues that a preoccupation with the self and its solitary concerns—a mindset that is Locke's legacy—is at the root of America's present political and economic problems. John Locke was an English philosopher who is regarded as the "father of liberalism." His thinking had a profound influence on political philosophy; in fact, the founding fathers who drafted the Constitution of the United States based a portion of its content upon Locke's tenets. However, it can be argued that these Lockean concepts are ill-adapted to realities of the modern world, and as such are the root cause of dysfunction in our body politic today—and are hampering the Obama administration's attempts to effect change. This book traces the evolution of liberalism as a political philosophy in England and the United States from the 18th century to today. The author presents a series of historical and contemporary studies that illustrate how John Locke's political philosophy of antisocial individualism continues to affect modern American culture. Additionally, this book attempts to address why American "conservatives" are actually liberal, how American "liberals" can also be deemed liberal, to provide direction in getting American politics moving again, and restore the American dream for ourselves and our children. Over 100 primary sources are examined Chronological presentation within the book's first four parts or "books" Extensive bibliography includes primary and secondary books, as well as citations to newsprint, magazine, and journal article sources