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Thomas Sowell

A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles Paperback – June 5, 2007

by Thomas Sowell (Author)

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Controversies in politics arise from many sources, but the conflicts that endure for generations or centuries show a remarkably consistent pattern. In this classic work, Thomas Sowell analyzes this pattern. He describes the two competing visions that shape our debates about the nature of reason, justice, equality, and power: the "constrained" vision, which sees human nature as unchanging and selfish, and the "unconstrained" vision, in which human nature is malleable and perfectible. A Conflict of Visions offers a convincing case that ethical and policy disputes circle around the disparity between both outlooks.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Basic Books
Publication date

June 5, 2007
Dimensions

5.5 x 1 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0465002056
ISBN-13

978-0465002054
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Extraordinary on several counts...[Sowell] makes his case fairly, lucidly and persuasively."―The New York Times Book Review

"A classic of a very special kind...Reading [it] is like looking up at the night sky and discovering a new constellation."―Christian Science Monitor

"[A Conflict of Visions] is recommended herewith to anybody sufficiently interested in the American condition to try to get beneath the surface of partisanship, trendy issues and pop ideology to the philosophical foundations of the Republic."―Boston Globe

"[A] fine book ... Sowell's illuminating guide to the political conflicts of our age teaches the valuable lesson that political choices always involve costs."―Commentary

"An excellent condensation of two centuries of social thought."―Booklist

"A provocative analysis of the conflicting visions of human nature that have shaped the moral, legal and economic life of recent times."―Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the author of dozens of books including Charter Schools and Their Enemies, winner of the 2021 Hayek Book Prize. He is the recipient of numerous other awards, including the National Humanities Medal, presented by the President of the United States in 2003.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; Revised edition (June 5, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0465002056
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465002054
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #9,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6 in Libertarianism
- #12 in Social Philosophy
- #15 in Political Economy

Customer Reviews:
895 ratings

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Lucid

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2019

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Thomas Sowell — why can’t everyone write like Thomas Sowell?

In brief:

There is a constrained vision and an unconstrained vision of what shapes human behavior.

The visions are pre-analytic and not necessarilyspelledout when people disagree about politics and culture.

On HUMAN NATURE
UnC:
people are selfless
Intentions matter
People are capable of impartiality
Human nature is evolving
We are all full of untapped human potential
We have a higher sense of social duty
We are magnanimous and generous

C:
We are egocentric
Human nature is unchangeable
We are imperfect and imperfectable
Our morality is taught as self-interest (incentives and tradeoffs matter)

On TRADEOFFS AND SOLUTIONS
UnC:
Mankind makes progress
Seek the causes of war and poverty as something out of the ordinary
Social customs are expendable holdovers (28)
Process costs are unimportant
Better policies produce better people
Intentions EQUAL outcomes (31)

C:
Mankind needs prudence
Seek causes of prosperity and peace as out of the ordinary
Human traditions make sense
Process costs are important
Limited choices are available and ALL have negative tradeoffs (32)

On KNOWLEDGE AND REASON
UnC:
Tradition and custom are an inheritance of ignorance
Smart, cultivated people make better decisions than individuals (41)
We need a special priesthood of leaders
Intellectuals are special
Intellectuals are not ambitious
The wisest SHOULD govern
Society works best when the People are coordinated by experts
Lends itself to arrogance and exhibitionism (67)

C:
Personal knowledge is inadequate
Society must transmit knowledge and civilization
Experience is the best teacher
Customs are time-tested and successful habits
Defects are inevitable
No need for drastic interventions
Common sense is widely understood and instinctive
Society works best through the cooperation of individuals
Dispersed social processes

On LAW:
UnC:
Traditions are dismissed as superstitions
The ends justify the means
Government power should be unlimited
What consequences?

C:
The law should incorporate experience and customs
Government power should be limited
Well-intended policies have negative consequences (51,81)
The importance of precedent
You can not predict the consequences
You can not bring about justice by inflicting injustice
Social justice is beyond man’s ability to achieve

On SINCERITY
UnC:
The utmost importance

C:
Not socially beneficial
Fidelity to duty is more important

A good representative of unconstrained thinking is the engineering pattern; a good representative of constrained thinking is the language pattern.

My notes on political systems:
MARXISM is a hybrid. Capitalism/the bourgeoisie is a necessary step in the direction of progress. The past is constrained, but the future is unconstrained, Comrade!

JEREMY BENTHAM - hybrid. Redistribution isn’t morally wrong - it is wrong because insecurity of property reduces production.

MILL is a hybrid - utilitarianism. Constraints are accepted, even though he seems unconstrained.

Back to the visions...

IMPLICIT ASSUMPTIONS
UnC:
Concerned with social results
Take direct action to achieve results
Freedom = desire
Justice = outcomes
Power = who acts on whom?
Equality = similar outcomes for all (except the experts, who will be rewarded with wealth and position)
Disparate impact is “proof” of injustice
Good, intelligent people can not be opposed to our ideas!
Unlimited human potential!
Decision making is an elite prerogative
Surrogate decision makers make better decisions

C:
It is unwise to concentrate political power sufficient to achieve results.
Freedom = refrain from interfering
Justice = the rules are just
Power = reducing options
Equality = same rules for all
Measure general effectiveness (ie constitutional government, competitive markets)
Opponents are well-meaning but mistaken
Human nature is flawed and limited
Systemic knowledge is widespread
Individual discretion is promoted
Everything is a tradeoff
Individual decision makers make better decisions

Holders of constrained AND unconstrained visions are working toward a public good.

They have different empirical assumptions about human nature and cause/effect

149 people found this helpful

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william zogby

A classic

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2018

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I am a college professor. For anyone, either liberal or conservative, this is the classic work that explains the basis of our thinking. It is a far cry from the insults and name calling of today, rather a look at the "great debate" of man's nature and the consequences of each view. I felt like I was sitting as a student at the feet of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. It is one of the best and most readable works on this subject that has appeared in decades.

127 people found this helpful

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Roger J Miller

I would highly recommend Sowell's book to anyone who's interested in gaining a ...

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2017

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I would highly recommend Sowell's book to anyone who's interested in gaining a better understanding of the intellectual conservative argument. As a liberal-leaning individual, I rarely get a real take on conservative ideology. I wouldn't say Sowell flipped my perspective, but he certainly allowed me to understand and appreciate the value and sincerity of conservatism beyond the hackneyed hot-takes that flood cable news on both sides of the aisle.

109 people found this helpful

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Dr. Marcos Gallacher

An outstanding book by a first-rate scholar.

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2017

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Thomas Sowell is in my opinion one of the most important intellectuals of the XXth century.

He would probably cringe at my assertion, as in this and other books he places severe limits on the "value" of most "intelectual" output. Or more accuratelly, on the value that intellectuals have had on society.

Sowell builds his argument from a simple premise: most political and economic discussions arise from inherently contrasting views on "the nature of man". One the one hand, the "unconstrained" view assigns great weight to reason, and assumes that concern for others can be an important factor fort the funcioning of society.

In contrast with the above, the "constrained" view places emphasis on evolutive learning (individual and social), and is sceptical as regards to altruism and related behavior.

Sowell discussed at lenght the history of these views in economic and political thought, and their impact for understanding the functioning of socienty. His approach is (in my opinion) quite objective, frequently quoting paragraphs from authors of both camps.

Interesting to me is the discussion of marxism, that in constrast to socialism or "social democracy" follows a constrained version of human history, only to be repaced by the "unconstrained" when the ideal comunist state is achieved. In this sense, it is sometimes easier to debate with a died-in the-wool marxist, than with a more ambiguous and " wooly" social democrat.

Sowell builds upon and effectivelly uses the insights derived from Adam Smith's book, as well as Hayek's article on the use of knowledge in society. New and fresh insights are derived.

Sowell also draws on Burke's work on political processes. Indeed, an important strength of his book is his deep undertanding not only of economics, but of political science and law. The term "political economist" is a natural one to label Thomas Sowell.

This is a highly important book. I would say "indispensable", although the author would surely object to this probably dogmatic assertion.

59 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Ricky

Plato v Aristotle

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2019

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Thomas Sowell discusses a topic that gets to the heart of political, social, psychological and other world view splits that are evident in the modern Western world. He defines a vision as a ‘pre-analytic cognitive act’ – a felt sense of something before applying reason or logic. A Vision is not the same as a wish or a dream. Instead, it incorporates the assumptions we often unconsciously hold when we think. Visions underpin our understanding of the world and Sowell compares the ‘constrained’ vision of the American revolution, with the ‘unconstrained’ vision of the French revolution.
The difference centres on how one views human nature. The constrained vision sees man as essentially flawed, a mixture of good and bad. Therefore, society needs institutions that keep individuals from committing harm and institutions that are kept in check by a separation of powers. These checks and balances are essential if society values freedom. Hence, the conservatives favour ideas such as setting limits, freedom of speech, boundaries, law and order and constitution.
In the ‘unconstrained vision, man is seen as an essentially malleable creature, with harm and pathology being largely social constructs. Institutions should exist to liberate the human spirit and help him aspire to his unflawed state. Socialist liberals see no need for institutions that curb one’s freedoms, only enhance them and promote equality. There is no need for separation of powers or check and balances, only leaders that are ‘philosopher kings’ or elites.
The French revolution ended with the guillotine and Napoleon Bonaparte. Yet it keeps being reborn in socialist politics and the exuberance of youth. The American revolution gave rise to the American constitution, the conservation of independence and freedom, and the success of capitalism.
Thomas Sowell is to be congratulated for his clarity of thought as well as his considered compassion. In ‘A conflict of visions’ he shows just how different the world views are, and how they lead to incompatible policies. As idealism clashes with realism, we have the conflict between Plato’s vision and that of Aristotle.

6 people found this helpful

Thomas Payne

Prophetic!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2021

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Such an intelligent man Thomas Sowell is. I wish that I had read this when it was first released. Every historic analysis is right on the button. Deep accurate insight into what has been happening throughout the 20th century and has accellerated in the 21st. Why is this not taught in our schools and universities? There's the problem right there!

2 people found this helpful

Miss Jk Atwal

Sowell has stated (somewhere) that this is his most complete ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2017

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Sowell has stated (somewhere) that this is his most complete work, and I indeed think that all of his thinking boils down to the the constrained vs unconstrained visions. In fact, all our current political, economic and social issues boil down to this. Absolutely essential reading.

3 people found this helpful

John

It’s the vision stupid!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2020

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There may be better books on ideological conflict. But I’ve not found them. Balanced, brilliant, buy it. Like Kuhn for beginners - but more accessible.

MW McGuire

5 days late and counting and no information

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2021

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I hate it when the review beats the product to me.
I am sure the book will be great if I ever get it.