The Western Ideology and Other Essays

'Capitalism may be teetering once again on the edge of a terminal crisis, but there are no gravediggers in sight. This time around not only are there no gravediggers there are no longer any rival economic systems either.' In The Western Ideology Andrew Gamble demonstrates the contradictions and the resilience of the doctrines that define liberal modernity, and examines the contemporary possibilities for dissent and change. This volume brings together for the first time this seminal essay with a collection of Andrew Gamble's writings on political ideas and ideologies, which have been chosen by the author to illustrate the main themes of his writing in intellectual history and the history of ideas. These themes include the character of economic liberalism and neoliberalism, especially as expressed in the work of Friedrich Hayek, as well as critiques from both social democratic and conservative perspectives and from critics as varied as Karl Marx, Michael Oakeshott and Bob Dylan. The collection includes a new autobiographical introduction, notes on the essays and an epilogue that reflects on the original context of the essays and what has changed since. Taken together, the essays in this volume show Andrew Gamble's unique insight into the debates and the ideas that have shaped politics and the western ideology under which we live. A companion volume After Brexit and Other Essays, focussing on political economy and British politics, is also available from Bristol University Press.