Word: lowis
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...LIBERALISM, by Theodore J. Lowi. Much liberal policy but little liberalizing practice has characterized the U.S. Government for more than 30 years, says this University of Chicago professor, who argues for a dumping of pragmatism and political pluralism in favor of tough, well-planned and well-enforced Government standards...
...LIBERALISM, by Theodore J. Lowi. Much liberal policy but little liberalizing practice has characterized the U.S. Government for more than 30 years, says this University of Chicago professor, who argues for a dumping of pragmatism and political pluralism in favor of tough, well-planned and enforced Government standards...
...liberals in government abdicate their power to this extent? Partly out of natural attrition. They had to share power and influence because of the democratic process; some agreement had to be established with the private groups to be affected by federal policies. But beyond that, Lowi says, liberals have been the prisoners of a pluralistic theory that has become almost an article of faith in the U.S.: the belief that out of the clash of special interest groups emerges the common interest. This pluralism has been cast in various disguises. It has been called countervailing power, creative federalism, partnership...
Weary of political pragmatism, Lowi prescribes a return to idealism. That idealism is at times Procrustean and not easy to put into practice, but all of it is refreshing to hear. His program calls not for less central government but for more -and this time with teeth. He would establish a senior civil service group, for example, composed of generalists with ties to no single agency, who would be responsible for providing a "proper centralization of a democratic administrative process." Sloppily written laws, he feels, have been much to blame for the failure of government. Accordingly, he would strengthen congressional...
...zeal to point out liberal shortcomings, Lowi may blame liberalism for failures due to the largeness of the state and its duties, human folly in general, human greed in particular. But his book is a useful and often fascinating corrective to much current theorizing about liberalism, government and decentralization. There is considerable evidence, moreover, that many Americans, growing as generally outraged about the state of the nation as Ralph Nader specifically was about the quality of U.S. automobiles, are willing to take stern measures to be sure that the machinery of government is well made and well...