Tory Burch on Shopbop
Add Prime to get Fast, Free delivery
Amazon prime logo
Buy new:
$31.98
FREE delivery Tuesday, January 7 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$31.98
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, January 7 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 22 hrs 14 mins
In Stock
$$31.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$31.98
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$6.27
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. See less
FREE delivery Tuesday, January 7 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Monday, January 6. Order within 6 hrs 59 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$31.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$31.98
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
$31.98
FREE pickup Tuesday, January 7 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE pickup Saturday, January 4. Order within 22 hrs 14 mins.

1.76 mi | Ashburn 20147

How pickup works
Pick up from nearby pickup location
Step 1: Place Your Order
Select the “Pickup” option on the product page or during checkout.
Step 2: Receive Notification
Once your package is ready for pickup, you'll receive an email and app notification.
Step 3: Pick up
Bring your order ID or pickup code (if applicable) to your chosen pickup location to pick up your package.
In Stock
$$31.98 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$31.98
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Cass R. Sunstein
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Why Societies Need Dissent (Oliver Wendell Holmes Lectures) Paperback – April 30, 2005

by Cass R. Sunstein (Author)
4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 20 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$31.98","priceAmount":31.98,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"31","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"98","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"q8YvTr4giX%2FtQNXVet1lJJF0COUX8K3YgzkX0cGDRKfOWnVPdcur1HHV9ODIn1WvT55JJapcOYkbwMjUZETvT7%2Beg3QByh90ZDcT76HsSaX78wnYjKvlgaxMm7xss%2F%2FFjrVVIsZ6uHY%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.27","priceAmount":6.27,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"27","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"q8YvTr4giX%2FtQNXVet1lJJF0COUX8K3Y8SC82JGHZtXvvm%2FcPSpdrtniLvfJpPbUQF232SpQQ8w3SPJtFSjpvICKuRBIuUtLjjNvrwI7lMrVAZ1RM9yVns0z5Up8F3HJPWsBbHS6%2Bp9bYR3ZKEL5cBSE2bfqEGfFcAa1uTEXPVQkHuCGawevyH8dVZA%2F8u0Y","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}],"desktop_buybox_group_2":[{"displayPrice":"$31.98","priceAmount":31.98,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"31","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"98","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"q8YvTr4giX%2FtQNXVet1lJJF0COUX8K3YgzkX0cGDRKfOWnVPdcur1HHV9ODIn1WvT55JJapcOYkbwMjUZETvT7%2Beg3QByh90ZDcT76HsSaX78wnYjKvlgaxMm7xss%2F%2FFjrVVIsZ6uHY%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"PICKUP","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":2}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

In this timely book, Cass R. Sunstein shows that organizations and nations are far more likely to prosper if they welcome dissent and promote openness. Attacking "political correctness" in all forms, Sunstein demonstrates that corporations, legislatures, even presidents are likely to blunder if they do not cultivate a culture of candor and disclosure. He shows that unjustified extremism, including violence and terrorism, often results from failure to tolerate dissenting views. The tragedy is that blunders and cruelties could be avoided if people spoke out.

Sunstein casts new light on freedom of speech, showing that a free society not only forbids censorship but also provides public spaces for dissenters to expose widely held myths and pervasive injustices. He provides evidence about the effects of conformity and dissent on the federal courts. The evidence shows not only that Republican appointees vote differently from Democratic appointees but also that both Republican and Democratic judges are likely to go to extremes if unchecked by opposing views. Understanding the need for dissent illuminates countless social debates, including those over affirmative action in higher education, because diversity is indispensable to learning.

Dissenters are often portrayed as selfish and disloyal, but Sunstein shows that those who reject pressures imposed by others perform valuable social functions, often at their own expense. This is true for dissenters in boardrooms, churches, unions, and academia. It is true for dissenters in the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. And it is true during times of war and peace.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harvard University Press
  4. Publication date
    April 30, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.64 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0674017684
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0674017689
  8. See all details
Next slide of product details
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Similar items that may deliver to you quickly

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous set of slides
  1. On Dissent
    Collins
     
    Paperback
    -39%$15.85
    List: $25.99
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 7
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
  2. After Utopia: The Decline of Political Faith (Princeton Legacy Library)
    Judith N. Shklar
     
    Paperback
    $51.00
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 7
    FREE Shipping by Amazon
  4. Politics and the Sacred
    Harald Wydra
     
    Paperback
    $41.99
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 7
    FREE Shipping by Amazon
  5. Humanism and Terror: An Essay on the Communist Problem
    Maurice Merleau-Ponty
     
    Paperback
    $22.00
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jan 7
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
Next set of slides

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
20 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Phill Boas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Conformity finally outplayed
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    If you are interested in collective human behaviour, you will be interested in this. An eye opening collection of ideas and studies that make the dangers of conformity and the necessity of dissent transparently clear. A very satisfying insight into another of the Social Psychology, Sociological strands of research that are so ubiquitous primarily to American writing.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Eric Mayforth
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Study of a Topic of Perennial Importance
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020
    Huge, complex societies such as those we live in in the West benefit from information and input from a wide array of sources. Cass Sunstein examines the issue of dissent and its importance in "Why Societies Need Dissent." The author's main idea is that when those who think differently stay quiet, society is deprived of valuable information that could prevent mistakes or distortions.

    Sunstein looks at the benefits and drawbacks of both conformity and dissent, noting that dissenters are often viewed as selfish and conformists not, but then showing how the opposite is often the case. Corporate boards, investor groups, presidential administrations, and other organizations get better results when there is freedom to disagree and dissent—too much conformity can lead to economic, social, or foreign policy going off the rails in one direction or another. Successful organizations and societies, the author asserts, find ways to reward dissent.

    The author demonstrates how groups with no dissenting opinions often cascade toward distorted views of situations. He opines on how conformist the individualist United States is compared to other nations that are viewed as more conformist, notes characteristics in people that make it more likely that they will be dissenters, and shows the powerful effect even one effective dissenter can have on a situation.

    Sunstein also examines group polarization and extremism in our legal and judicial systems and government, looks at what does and does not make one more likely to obey laws, and notes the vital importance of free speech for a free, open, successful society—in such places, independence of mind is encouraged. The author closes by defending affirmative action in admissions to higher education—he believes that students from different backgrounds benefit by getting to know people from other parts of society and hearing their opinions.

    Dissent is something that is always fresh and topical, and Sunstein's volume is a good study of dissent, conformity, and the tension between the two. Those who read "Why Societies Need Dissent" would not only understand dissent and its importance more fully, but the book would aid the reader in dissenting more intelligently when the inevitable time comes to do so.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Frederick Talbott
    5.0 out of 5 stars The most important book you will read in today's America
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2023
    Dissent is the essential cornerstone and fuel required to support and advance freedom.
    Without it, freedom crumbles.
    As authoritarian forces impose and stifle--in the public place, workplace, and even the homeplace--dissent is vital. Without it the freedom to advance thinking, attitudes, beliefs, truths, ethics and empathy fade.
    Dissent is a choice based in care and sparked by courage.
    Please read this vital book and make your way.
    Hoping yours is an upward, inclusive path based in Goodness.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Arnold V. Loveridge
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing worse than all "yes-men" ....
    Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2004
    Sunstein has produced a book that is at the same time quite intuitive and yet counterintuitive. You find yourself nodding yes to so many of the things he points out only to be completely surprised when the conclusion isn't what you expected. For example, one might expect a larger group with more information to be able to more easily make a correctly informed decision. But, in fact, depending on the group dynamics the larger group may make it more difficult for certain viewpoints to be expressed and may marginalize minority viewpoints so that a less informed decision is the result.
    I enjoyed the discussion of cascades where a series of decisions are made based on previous decisions which may have less general validity than presumed. The result is a lemming-like run of bad decisions which no one seems to be able to stop or even look at objectively.
    Group polarity is another area discussed at length in this book. Sunstein points out that groups with mixed viewpoints represented may coalesce to a consensus viewpoint with the right climate or facilitation or they may spin off into highly polarized subgroups barely able to interface with one another.
    I would think this book would be an invaluable resource for group facilitators, organizational experts, and think tanks.
    26 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Patti
    4.0 out of 5 stars It presents both sides in why people "vote" the way ...
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    It presents both sides in why people "vote" the way they do. The book gets one thinking about things that probably would never cross your mind.
    Helpful
     Report
  • ra2sky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read for anyone who works in groups
    Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2004
    I really enjoyed this book. It was very readable and well written. I appreciated how the viewpoints and examples used were neutral and usable regardless of the reader's perspective on any issue.
    Some of the more interesting points were: (1) an explanation of the pressure to conform, and why this pressure is surprisingly high even among those who consider themselves independent thinkers (2) the power of being first to speak in a group and the efficacy of a firm and confident tone (3) the two types of dissenters: contrarians and disclosers; and the importance of disclosing one's opinion and reasoning (4) discussion of "groupthink" and how group opinions form based on the group's members.
    I appreciated Sunstein's frequent reference to psychological studies. That made this book much more credible and useful than one where an author merely formulates theories and writes about them.
    23 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Clyde C. Kahrl
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Value of this Book is that it Shows Both the Value and Cost of Dissent
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2007
    If all we needed was dissent, then we could dissent all day! The problem is that we need something: 1) the right answer, and 2) with a limited amount of information to make the decision we want it 3) quickly and cheaply. Without knowing that the author begins with that background, the title of the book might lead a potential reader into judging that the author was a Bob Dylan wannabe.

    The author makes a number of useful observations while dealing with the manifest observation of the most casual observer that the dissenter never profits from his dissent. In other words, dissent is costly from several points of view, so the question is: When is it worth it--if ever?
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Roy
    4.0 out of 5 stars pas mal mais "un peu mou"
    Reviewed in France on March 16, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    L'ouvrage développe un thème qui est d'importante, la capacité à s'opposer et à dire qu'on s'oppose, les mécanismes psychologiques à l'oeuvre et leur effets sont analysés de façon claire et pédagogique... ce qui est aussi le défaut majeure de l'ouvrage, les idées sont avancées au compte gouttes et l'auteur insiste parfois trop sur certains points. Dans l'ensemble cependant l'ouvrage est de très bonne facture et apporte une vue différente sur le problème de la liberté d'expression (tant il est vrai que les US et l'europe ont des approches différentes sur ce point).
    Report