Customer Reviews

Liberty or Equality

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Written by famous German Roman Catholic rightist, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, and published by Christendom Press, _Liberty or Equality?_ consists of reflections on the nature of liberty and the same opposition to democracy as seen in Kuehnelt-Leddihn's later work _Leftism Revisited_. Kuehnelt-Leddihn who describes himself as a "liberal of the far right" argues against the dangers of leftism and the herdist mentality found in democracy and totalitarianism. Many others have written on the dangers inherent in democracy including such notables as Plato and Alexis de Toqueville. Kuehnelt-Leddihn also turns his attention to monarchy which he strongly affirms, arguing that the king is in many ways a father to his people. Kuehnelt-Leddihn bases his arguments chiefly on those of Saint Thomas Aquinas and other Catholic saints as well as the teaching of the popes, and shows an affinity for this philosopher although rejecting the excesses of neoThomism. Next, the book turns its attention to an examination of the Catholic countries. Here, the presence of revolutionary elements, including anarchism and assassination, within Catholic countries (as well as those of Eastern Orthodoxy) is mentioned, including Spain and Italy, but also Russia and the Slavic nations. Kuehnelt-Leddihn notes that according to Aquinas tyrannicide may be justifiable, and that certain other saints allow for this possibility, while Lutheranism and other Protestant theologies distinctly reject it. Anarchism (which like the Catholic ecclesiastical nations also bears the black flag) plays an important part in the thought of Kuehnelt-Leddihn who shows much affinity for liberty and anarchy in this form. Indeed, an entire discussion is devoted to the Spanish anarchists, and perhaps an attempt is made to combine anarchism and monarchism with traditionalist Catholicism. The book concludes with two chapters dealing with Protestantism, the Reformation, and the rise of the National Socialists. Kuehnelt-Leddihn argues that the National Socialists can trace their ancestry back to Jan Hus, Czech rebel and heretic who was burned at the stake in the Middle Ages, and subsequent influence on Martin Luther (although to what extent this may be is undetermined). Luther himself may have strongly influenced Nazism and it is shown that the Lutheran nations and parts of Germany (as well as those of a Calvinist persuasion) voted in a much stronger block for the Nazis than did the Roman Catholics in the south of Germany, and Bavaria. Luther may also have played a role in the rise of modern democracy; however, the role of Luther as a reformer has been greatly misunderstood by the modern era. It is often believed, particularly by liberal Protestants, that Luther represented a force of Enlightenment and liberalism against the backwards excesses of the Roman Catholic church and the papacy. However, in fact, this is not true. Luther represented merely a reaction against the Renaissance humanism which had made its way into the church and its theology. Indeed, for Luther a non-Christian could not attain salvation, while for the Catholic it is possible that God could save a non-Christian through a special grace, for example. Since Kuehnelt-Leddihn is well versed in the writings of Martin Luther as well as in Roman Catholic theology, this is a particular strong point of the book; although he later would come to change some of these reflections on Luther in _Leftism Revisited_ for example. The book concludes with an analysis of the Nazis and the influence of the Czechs on the Nazis, etc. as well as a postscript written by the author in the 1990s. In sum, this book is an excellent work which contains many deep and scholarly insights, complete with detailed footnotes for closer study and examination, which reveals an incredibly wide depth and breadth of learning. Like his other works, _The Menace of the Herd_ written under the name Samuel Francis Campbell and _Leftism Revisited_, _Liberty or Equality?_ offers an important contribution to political thought and unique insights regarding freedom, democracy, egalitarianism, monarchy, anarchy, Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism.

In this book, Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn (who was largely responsible for his friend Friedrich Hayek being received into the Catholic Church before he died) has written a very thoughful work that challenges many of the cherished presuppositions of American conservatives. If you are the sort who can stomach reading a whole book online, there is a facsimile copy of it at conservativeclassics dotcom.

I highly recommend this book but mostly am submitting this review for the benefit of those who would like to obtain an affordable (and new) copy. It's been out of print for many years but as of 2007 Mises.org offered a new edition. Look for the authors name under the "K"s. His other great book "Menace of the Herd", also out of print for many years, is also available there. Get them while you can!