Panel Discusses Sandel's New Book

In a panel discussion yesterday at the Kennedy School of Government, Professor of Government Michael J. Sandel discussed his new book Democracy's Discontent: America in Search of a Public Philosophy before an audience of about 150 people.

After offering a brief synopsis of his book, Sandel initiated a discussion with the other panel members.

The panel was composed of journalists E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post, Ellen Goodman of the Boston Globe and Editor in Chief and Publisher of The Weekly Standard William Kristol. All gave a generally favorable review of the new book.

In his opening statement, Sandel spoke of his perception that there is a defect in the content of American politics.

"The civic voice of American politics is falling away," said Sandel, explaining the thesis of his book.

He went on to discuss how procedural liberalism has crowded out public involvement in politics in the second half of this century.

According to Sandel, the prevailing political agenda has failed to address many of the key issues related to public discontent with the American political scene.

"Americans sense that we are less and less in control of the forces that govern our lives," he said.

Sandel went on to address the view he sees in America that the government should be neutral on moral and religious issues.

According to Sandel, however, the true solution to the problems of American politics, however, lies in the cultivation of civic virtues in the American people, Sandel said.

According to Sandel, one of the key problems with American politics is the failure of civic conservatives as well as some Democrats to recognize the connection between declining economic conditions and the decrease of political involvement within certain American communities.

"To be free is to participate in self-government," Sandel said, citing civic republican tradition.

In his response to Sandel's book Dionna generally agreed with the author's assessment of American politics and that giving the government a role in creating civic virtue could improve American's interest in politics.

Goodman chose to discuss the relationship between her observations of the difficulty of conducting a civil dialogue within American society and Sandel's take on American politics.

"The public model of discourse has increasingly become sound-byte politics and food fight journalism," Goodman said.

Kristol, the most conservative member of the panel, said that Sandel's book is a helpful guide in helping Americans to decide what direction politics should take after the era of big government.