An Inquiry into the Principles of the Good Society.

by Walter Lippmann

Book by Lippmann, Walter

402 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1937

About the author

Walter Lippmann was an American intellectual, writer, reporter, and political commentator who gained notoriety for being among the first to introduce the concept of Cold War. Lippmann was twice awarded (1958 and 1962) a Pulitzer Prize for his syndicated newspaper column, "Today and Tomorrow."

Reviews

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much wisdom in this book and it's such a breath of fresh air to read something that contains common sense as well as references to the classics. Lippnann's basic argument seems to be that "The Good Society" is the system of laws developed in liberal democracies over the past several hundred years. He spends a great deal of time taking apart the extremes of the left as well as the right (both totalitarians and extremist libertarians), and it's hard to find fault with anything he says (besides the two sentences that seem to promote eugenics!). It's hard for me to pin down but there is something very intriguing about Lippmann's writing and this book is definitely a welcome reprieve for anyone tired of all the shallow political commentary that is so prevalent today.