Down with Democracy (The Open Society and Its Enemies: Volume 1 - Karl R. Popper)

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Product:	The Open Society and Its Enemies: Volume 1 - Karl R. Popper
Date:	14/09/07 (179 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Concise style, engaging subject matter

Disadvantages: Terminology may confuse

Writing at a time when it seemed that democracy, that great liberal ideal now taken for granted in western society, might well give way to a new totalitarian nightmare, Karl Popper crafted in 1943 a wartime masterpiece that should be read by anyone with an interest in the defence of freedom. A concise, analytical, and contemplative study in political philosophy, The Open Society and Its Enemies remains engaging and readable throughout, making it a must for both the seasoned intellectual and the casual enthusiast.

At just over 200 pages of text, with another 200 of notes and appendices, The Open Society offers a succinct but developed analysis of the conflict between totalitarianism and democracy, the political forces and theories that underpin authoritarianism, and, crucially, a criticism of the anti-democratic historicism (i.e. the notion that history is governed by natural laws, and is therefore determined) offered by Plato, the ancient Greek philosopher who thought rule on behalf of the people corrupt and philosophers the only viable leaders. Having read Plato's, The Republic, and with a keen interest in political philosophy, I found this a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read, particularly the sections in which Popper lays down a sincere and rigorous defence of democracy in the face of the contemporary dictatorship which he, in his lifetime, saw penetrate the heart of Europe in both its communist and fascist forms.

How readable is it?

Although The Open Society contains over 400 pages, it is shorter than it seems due to the aforementioned appendices which, rather excessively, appear to make up more than half of the book. With only about 200 pages of text, divided neatly and thematically into ten chapters, length is not much of an issue. Indeed, that Popper was able to fit such a careful analysis into such a short book is a testament to his concise writing style and remarkable precision.

However, a significant but rather inevitable drawback in terms of readability is almost certainly the technical language that accompanies Popper's subject matter. Although it might be possible for the casual reader to get by and finish with a reasonable grasp of Popper's arguments, in order to get the most out of the book, it is undoubtedly preferable to be well versed in basic political philosophy. For me, having prior knowledge of the concepts and ideas that Popper discusses helped me to enjoy The Open Society a lot more than I would have done had I known less.

Having said this, Popper does reasonably well to explain the terminology that he uses, and this is certainly not a title written to exclude those without specialist knowledge. So long as you have a reasonably good idea of what, for example, totalitarianism and democracy mean to you, you are more than likely to enjoy reading this. Unlike many other texts exploring political philosophy, The Open Society is not so intellectual as to be unreadable, but equally not so dumbed-down as to be uninteresting.

Why is this worth reading?

If, like me, you have a natural interest in political philosophy, then this is worth reading for obvious reasons. It is a powerful and famous critique of Plato's closed society, attacking not only the principle of the Philosopher Ruler but the Theory of the Forms that underpins it. It is a concise work of substantial value that explores political ideas and concepts that are still wholly relevant today.

For the more casual reader, this is a book about democracy - the political system that most of us westerners have lived under for our entire lives. Popper wrote The Open Society at a time when that system, which we now tend to take for granted, was under attack by those swayed by totalitarian dogma. Reading this book, written sincerely and in earnest by a man determined, on an intellectual level, to defend freedom in its hour of maximum danger, really allows one to understand the value of the system that we live under and the high cost of succumbing to a closed society like the one Hitler and Stalin, as well as Plato, although in a different sense, envisaged. This is a major strength of the book, and makes it a valuable read for those who wish to understand the basic principles governing our political system and the alternatives on offer.

Compared to the rivals?

The Open Society and Its Enemies is a fairly unique analysis of Plato's work and the conflict between totalitarianism and democracy, and is, as a result, difficult to compare to other titles. Similar ideas do, however, persist in other works, for example, Mill's, On Liberty, offers a defence of democracy, and specifically freedom of choice, as a force for progress. Popper discusses this in some depth when analysing Plato's Theory of the Forms, criticising his appeal to the unchanging and asserting the importance and value of political evolution.

In this sense, titles such as On Liberty are comparable to The Open Society, but Popper's contribution is notably more dynamic than Mill's, and while Mill has a tendency to spend far too much time simply repeating the same idea, however important, Popper looks elsewhere in his analysis, particularly at historicism and the nature of justice, giving The Open Society considerable breadth in comparison to its rivals. Having said this, On Liberty is probably marginally more accessible to the average reader, and this is an important point to bear in mind. Personally, I would recommend both rather than one or the other, and reading Mill's contribution might serve as excellent preparation for Popper's.

Overall

While principally for those interested in political philosophy, The Open Society and Its Enemies is a well written, not unreadable analysis of ideas that are still highly relevant and important today. The casual reader should not be put off from giving this a go, and it certainly compares favourably to the rivals in terms of scope. Writing at a time of great danger, Popper provides a concise insight not only into the fears of the past, but also into the corrupt nature of the closed society today and in the future. This is a thoroughly recommended, engaging, and enjoyable read.


Key Facts:

Price: £9.88 (Paperback, Amazon, February 07)

432 pages (of which roughly half are appendices)

Published by Routledge

ISBN-10: 0415237319

ISBN-13: 978-0415237314

Dimensions: 5.1 x 7.8 inches

Summary: This is a thoroughly recommended, engaging, and enjoyable read