The Decent Society (Paperback)

~ (Author), Naomi Goldblum (Translator)
Key Phrases: justifying trait, institutional humiliation, humiliating institutions, Uncle Tom, Family of Man, Israeli Arabs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Most recent political theorists have concentrated on requirements for a just society, but the Israeli philosopher Margalit has a different idea. He asks what constitutes a decent society, "one whose institutions do not humiliate people." Margalit carefully explores the connections between decency and concepts akin to it, such as self-respect, honor, and integrity. He then asks, "What aspect of human beings, if any, justifies respecting human beings just because they are human?" His response stresses the ability of people to make changes in their lives. Having defined and supported his view of a decent society, Margalit assesses its relevance for social issues such as welfare, employment, and punishment. Some of his policy conclusions seem questionable, but on the whole Margalit has produced an illuminating study.?David Gordon, Bowling Green State Univ., Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

Down to the last detail, an overly theoretical and abstract elaboration of exactly what would and would not comprise a decent society. In his seminal work A Theory of Justice, John Rawls postulated an ideal Kantian society designed along strict equalitarian lines. As a philosophical construct, it has been enormously influential. But in practical terms it has stood just a bit too far above the wicked ways of man. So, as a kind of compromise, Margalit (Philosophy/Hebrew Univ., Israel) offers a slightly more realizable societal framework, one in which ``institutions do not humiliate people.'' Roughly modeled on George Orwell's passionate brand of humanitarian socialism, this is the decent society, the next best thing to Rawls's ideal society. Margalit is aware of the possible problems, quibbles, and exceptions to his beautiful model, and he feels compelled to chase after all of them. With a syllogistic fervor worthy of Aristotle, he proves this, refutes that, and argues about the other, until the law of diminishing returns has taken over completely and he is seriously fretting about such venal trivialities as snobbery and gossip. While the formal logic behind his arguments is impeccable, he sometimes veers close to elaborate tautology (always a problem with such metaphor- and definition- based reasoning). And many of the assertions buttressing the high towers of theory are extremely debatable. For example: ``Punishment is the litmus test of the decent society.'' America has capital punishment. Mexico doesn't. Which is the more decent society? Even though his construct is more practicable than that of Rawls, Margalit seems less interested in political possibility than philosophical soundness, particularly in his absolutist conception of decency. Like a crossword puzzle, an ingeniously constructed matrix that cannot quite rise above being just a clever diversion. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 318 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (January 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674194373
• ISBN-13: 978-0674194373
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #136,221 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humiliation, Rights and Honor: What is a decent society?, February 12, 2001

By	Martyn Richard Jones "Martyn Richard Jones" (Cordoba, Spain) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Have you ever pondered the question, What is a decent society? Does the thought keep you awake at night, wondering, is the society in which I live decent?, and if not, do we sincerely ask oursleves, for example, am I decent anyway? and if not, and so on, do I need to do anything to change that situation?

In this book, Avishai Margalit explains how he constructed his moral philosophy based on the following: a decent society or civilized society is one in which the institutions of that society do not humiliate people who are subject to their authority, and in which no citizen humilates another citizen or themselves. Avishai Margalit goes on to argue that what is more important is not a "just society" but a "decent society", based on the equilibrium between liberty and equality, a society where cruelty and humiliation has been completely erradicated.

This books influence should reach far beyond the confined bounds of formal philosphical debate and should be championed - or at least taken very seriously - by all decent and prospective politicians everywhere. Not since Rousseau himself has anyone approached the subject with such intelligence and passion as has Avishai Margalit. Reading this book, was for me, like living a really extraordinary experience, as I sure it will be for you.

regards,

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABC of Decency, August 30, 2006

By	Arun Kohli (Torri del Benaco, VR Italy) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Social inequalities and injustice are attributed to a bad society and everybody invariably nods in agreement that the society is at fault. One gets an impression that all are talking about an invisible entity that is at fault.

Who or what is this society?

Avishai Margalit, a brilliant philosopher, explains how society comes in to being in the first place and who is responsible for it. His answers for a decent society are easy to understand and his approach is pragmatic. He propagates that it is easier to ask people not to be bad to others than to ask people to be good; because being good is a matter of personal selective perception.

He discusses in detail what the people in the institutions of a State should not be doing to their fellow citizens and why. We use expressions such as humiliation, insult, Welfare State and many others, in our daily life. After reading the explanations of the author one gets an impression of having learned them for the first time.

What I particularly like in his arguments is: ...there is a weighty asymmetry between eradicating evil and promoting good. It is much more urgent to remove painful evils than to promote enjoyable benefits. 

Recently as CEO of a multinational company with operations in five different countries, I enjoyed good results applying some of his concepts in personnel management. This book though not for light reading and is also a philosophical one, yet the insights from the author can be very useful wherever human relationships and decent treatment for all in a company, society or a nation are an issue.

I think the most important service that this book could render to humanity is: if this book was made an obligatory study for politicians and leaders of our world. What Mr. Margalit is saying is not Utopia, it is valid for an individual State and its treatment of its citizens but I find it is as easily applicable to relationships between different States. This book does not seek to set guidelines for harmonious international relationships amongst different countries but would certainly show many what they should not do to others. For this reason this book should be given to the most powerful leaders and to the politicians in more unfortunate economies as well.