“An extremely able and attractive presentation of a difficult subject.”
+ N Y Evening Post p5 Mr 20 ’20 500w + Survey 43:656 F 28 ’20 1050w
STEARNS, HAROLD EDMUND. Liberalism in America: its origin, its temporary collapse, its future. *$1.75 (2½c) Boni & Liveright 321.8
20–1878
“The core of liberal philosophy” writes the author, “is respect for the individual and his freedom of conscience and opinion.” To trace the foundations of this philosophy in America and to account for its complete break-down during the war is the main purpose of this book. The ten chapter titles are: What liberalism is; The English heritage and the American development; American liberalism to the eve of the war; The emotional breakdown before warhysteria; Timidity and the seductions of office or career; President Wilson, the technique of liberal failure; Political symbolism and the mob; Débâcle of pragmatism; Leadership; The future. A bibliography of two pages follows. The author was formerly associate editor of the Dial.
“His plea for tolerance is marked by intolerance, for good-nature with ungenerosity in weighing the motives of others, for nonpartisanship and detachment with evident animus and one-sided advocacy rather than fairness and breadth of vision. Hence the value of the work as a critique of American liberalism is very seriously impaired for the general reader and the serious student.” C. E. Merriam
− Am Pol Sci R 14:511 Ag ’20 520w
“While one cannot altogether agree with the conclusions of the author of this extremely readable exposition of liberalism, the arguments are in most cases clear, and fairly presented.”