The Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus
How Woodrow Wilson's vision of making the world safe for democracy has been betrayed--and how America can fulfill it again
The liberal internationalist tradition is credited with America's greatest triumphs as a world power--and also its biggest failures. Beginning in the 1940s, imbued with the spirit of Woodrow Wilson's efforts at the League of Nations to make the world safe for democracy, the United States steered a course in world affairs that would eventually win the Cold War. Yet in the 1990s, Wilsonianism turned imperialist, contributing directly to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the continued failures of American foreign policy. Why Wilson Matters explains how the liberal internationalist community can regain a sense of identity and purpose following the betrayal of Wilson's vision by the brash neo-Wilsonianism being pursued today. Drawing on Wilson's original writings and speeches, Tony Smith traces how his thinking about America's role in the world evolved in the years leading up to and during his presidency, and how the Wilsonian tradition went on to influence American foreign policy in the decades that followed--for good and for ill. He traces the tradition's evolution from its classic era with Wilson, to its hegemonic stage during the Cold War, to its imperialist phase today. Smith calls for an end to reckless forms of U.S. foreign intervention, and a return to the prudence and eternal vigilance of Wilson's own time. Why Wilson Matters renews hope that the United States might again become effectively liberal by returning to the sense of realism that Wilson espoused, one where the promotion of democracy around the world is balanced by the understanding that such efforts are not likely to come quickly and without costs.
Erasmus, Desiderius: - Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466-1536), a Dutch humanist, Catholic priest, and scholar, was one of the most influential Renaissance figures. A professor of divinity and Greek, Erasmus wrote, taught, and travelled, meeting with Europe's foremost scholars. A prolific author, Erasmus wrote on both ecclesiastic and general human interest subjects.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9783842467330 |
| ISBN 10 | 3842467338 |
| Title | The Praise of Folly |
| Author | Desiderius Erasmus |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Tredition Classics |
| Year published | 2011-11-21 |
| Number of pages | 92 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |