Social Progress and the Authoritarian Challenge to Democracy

Donald G. Reid (University of Guelph, Canada)

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English

Routledge
09 October 2024

Social & political philosophy; Society & culture: general; Political ideologies; Central government policies; Applied ecology

Series: Routledge Studies in Sustainable Development

Social Progress and the Authoritarian Challenge to Democracy examines the authoritarian challenge to present-day democracy through a framing of social progress theory and the idea of the social contract. Building on the author’s previous work, this book discusses whether social progress is linear and on a continual upward trajectory to human betterment, or if there are peaks and troughs along the way. More importantly, it questions that, if social progress exists, is it compatible with social and environmental sustainability?

At the outset the book introduces the concepts of social contract theory and the idea of human social progress, long considered to be settled conditions, now ripe for further examination. Each chapter carefully analyses the contemporary struggle between democracy and authoritarianism, using examples from the USA as a foundation to discuss and compare democracies from around the world encountering the pressures of rising authoritarianism, including anti-immigration, xenophobia and anti-institutionalism. It argues that if the climate crisis is to be urgently addressed as required, the rise in authoritarian thinking, with its focus on maintaining power and the creation of individual wealth, presents a challenge to both our societal foundations and environmental sustainability.

Highlighting and analysing topics of critical importance to today’s society, this book will have widespread appeal to academics, researchers and postgraduate students throughout the social sciences including sociology, political science, philosophy, environmental sustainability and development studies.

By: Donald G. Reid (University of Guelph Canada)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 440g
ISBN: 9781032260877
ISBN 10: 1032260874
Series: Routledge Studies in Sustainable Development
Pages: 226
Publication Date: 09 October 2024
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Donald G. Reid is University Professor Emeritus in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) at the University of Guelph in Canada. He is an international scholar whose work focuses on sustainable development, social planning, poverty, community development, leisure, and tourism. His previous books are Social Policy and Planning for the 21st Century: In Search of the Next Great Social Transformation (Routledge, 2017) and A New World-System: From Chaos to Sustainability (Routledge, 2020).