Dr. Ernest Partridge is seeking a publisher for his book in progress,
"Conscience of a Progressive."
270 draft pages of this projected 320 page book (nineteen of twenty-two
projected chapters) are now online and can can be seen at:
www.igc.org/gadfly/progressive/^toc.htm .
Written in readily accessible and non-technical language, Conscience of a
Progressive addresses the familiar right-wing criticism that liberalism
is without coherent foundation, lacks new ideas, and is irrelevant to
contemporary political and economic conditions. It does so by presenting and
defending that foundation, those ideas, and that relevance. The book also
criticizes the root dogmas of so-called "conservatism" and libertarianism --
in particular, market absolutism, social atomism, privatism and minimalist
government -- and argues that these dogmas function to secure the power and
enhance the wealth of a small and exclusive governing elite, at the expense
of the general public..
Conscience of a Progressive affirms the existence of public goods and
a public interest, and the necessity of government -- a government that is
answerable to the public, and that is established to "secure rights," and
"to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common
defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity." (Preamble to the United States Constitution).
Today, the book warns, the justice, the domestic tranquility, the general
welfare, and the rights cited in the Constitution have been substantially
eroded, and can only be restored by a determined and concerted effort on the
part of the American public.
Liberals and progressives in search of a clear and coherent articulation of
their political convictions will want to read this book.
As research continues, the draft chapters will be refined and expanded. All
are invited to read the draft as it develops, and are urged to send comments
to Dr. Ernest Partridge at gadfly@igc.org
Work on the book has progressed to the point that it is now time to seek a
publisher. If you are a publisher and perceive a potential market for the
work, please contact me. If you know of a publisher or can suggest one, I
would be grateful to hear of it.
I estimate that a final manuscript could be delivered to a publisher in from
three to four months.
Ernest Partridge,
Co-Editor: The Crisis Papers.
www.crisispapers.org
Publisher: The Online Gadfly.
www.igc.org/gadfly gadfly/igc.org
.
E-Mail: gadfly@igc.org
The Book may be accessed at:
www.igc.org/gadfly/progressive/^toc.htm .
