University of Cambridge
Perfectionist Republicanism: Liberty, Flourishing, Excellence
Abstract
dc:description.abstractThis dissertation works towards a new interpretation of republicanism in political philosophy. The contention is that if we are going to be republicans rather than liberals, then we should be perfectionist republicans, rather than pursuing the neo-Roman brand of republicanism pioneered by Philip Pettit and Quentin Skinner. The central problem that the dissertation seeks to confront is to find a productive middle ground between radically opposing visions of politics. On the one hand, there is the political thought of mainstream liberals, such as that of Judith Shklar and Bernard Williams, who argue that the humane accomplishments of modern politics are fragile cultural achievements that could be lost, and hence should not be taken for granted. On the other hand, there are arguably liberalism’s most insightful critics, including Friedrich Nietzsche and Alasdair MacIntyre, who insist that any political community truly worth having would be concerned with realising a much wider range of values than those that typically interest liberal political theory. To give shape to a theory that combines liberalism’s anti-utopianism with the ambitious perfectionist ideals of its critics, this dissertation engages with a wide array of political theory. It consists of seven chapters on topics that include (1) a critique of Pettit’s neo-Roman republicanism; (2) the peculiar history of Nietzsche studies; (3) a reading of Nietzsche as a radical humanist; (4) an analysis of MacIntyre’s Thomistic Aristotelianism from a secular perspective; (5) and the liberalisms of Charles Larmore and Shklar. The final two chapters draw the threads of the dissertation together. Chapter 6 defends a new approach to political theory which centrally revolves around the Aristotelian question of the purpose of political community, rather than the modern emphasis on the state and its legitimacy. Drawing on Williams’ political realism, political naturalism develops some of the methodological ideas that underpin republicanism. Chapter 7 is the first attempt to show how perfectionist republicanism will defend a richer conception of the point and purpose of republican political society, while also preserving the humane institutions of modern politics. It pursues this by orienting republicanism around three central normative ideals: (i) protecting equal liberty; (ii) realising the flourishing of every citizen; and (iii) the cultivation of excellence in a wide range of domains, including the arts, science, music, philosophy, humanities, and even athletic achievements. Each stage is both an end as well as a means, insofar as every prior stage helps to set the socio-political conditions for the realisation of every further stage. Together they present a complicated normative account of the good society that would be worth our allegiance.
Degree
thesis:*- Name dc:type.qualificationname
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
- Doctoral
- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- University of Cambridge
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2024
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Nohlmans, Marijn
- Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Brooke, Christopher
Subjects
dc:subject × 7Rights
dc:rightsIdentifiers
dc:identifier.*- DOI dc:identifier.doi
- https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.113745
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/376533