Nov 22, 2021Is James Madison a Liberal Communitarian?By Amitai Etzioni, University Professor and Professor of International Relations at George Washington University Communitarianism is surely one of the smallest and least-known branches of social philosophy, and liberal communitarianism is even less recognized within academia. Both are rarely mentioned in public discourse. However, communitarian ideas are found in many…James Madison18 min readJames Madison18 min read
May 6, 2021The Powerful Capitalist SqueezeThe majority of Americans are distressed and angry, and many have protested in the street or have supported politicians who give voice to their alienation. Public trust in the federal government is very low; in 2019, Pew found that “[o]nly 17% of Americans today say they can trust the government…Capitalism23 min readCapitalism23 min read
Feb 1, 2021The Secrets of a Published AuthorSo, you have a manuscript (or plan to write one) and you think it is going to be a bestseller. Or, you fear it will be a dud. Well, if my experience holds, you will be unable to tell. I did not get the prediction right for any of the…Amitai Etzioni8 min readAmitai Etzioni8 min read
Jan 4, 2021How to Make Zoom DemocraticThe fact that Zoom (and other such platforms) have been of great social and public service during the pandemic should not make one overlook their limitations and hence the need for still other platforms. I hence forged one, CivilDialogues.org, and I am comparing it to Zoom here next. · Zoom…Zoom2 min readZoom2 min read
Nov 25, 2020To Bridge Divisions, We Need Civil DialoguesOne result of the elections stands out as clear as any such finding can be: the conventional wisdom — that Trump was appealing merely to his base, and that unless he learned to reach out to others, he is toast — was wrong. About half of all Americans voted for…Dialogue3 min readDialogue3 min read
Nov 13, 2020Biden Should Appoint a Truth and Reconciliation CommissionThere are some who hold that Trump and several of his associates should be charged with crimes. Investigations are already underway in New York state, where the authorities are examining Trump’s taxes. Others suggest charging Trump with obstruction of justice, based on the Mueller report. However, locking up leaders of…Truth And Reconciliation3 min readTruth And Reconciliation3 min read
Sep 14, 2020The Communitarian ObserverSeptember 2020 OP-EDs “Joe Biden’s Stakeholder Capitalism Is Not the Issue — Corruption Is” “Consider capitalism as akin to nuclear energy. If it is well-contained in a strongly fortified capsule, it can benefit society by providing an abundance of low-cost energy (in the form of massive production of goods and services)…Communitarianism7 min readCommunitarianism7 min read
Aug 25, 2020Transcript of The Making of a Peacenik VideoA recounting of Amitai Etzioni’s experience with conflict and his dedicated mission towards peace. Professor Etzioni’s aversion to violence was forged — his videographer shows — when he was a Jewish child subject to Nazi brutality in Germany. Later when he joined those who were seeking to drive the British…Amitai Etzioni7 min readAmitai Etzioni7 min read
Aug 5, 2020Social Sciences Handicap the Moral WrestlerWe all carry a narrative about human nature in our minds. A major narrative, acquired from Judeo-Christian values, is that life is an unending moral struggle. We know what is right, however our flawed nature tempts us to misbehave. We try to lead a more moral life. Some of us…Conscience7 min readConscience7 min read
Aug 4, 2020Two Cheers for Big TechThe recent Congressional hearings that put on the hot seat four CEOS of the top big tech corporations, reflected the mood of the public. In rare bipartisan agreement, members of Congress of both parties competed in terms who could take more pot shots, mainly aimed at the TV cameras rather…Big Tech5 min readBig Tech5 min read
