商品簡介
"It is impossible to overrate Steve J. Shone's contribution in shining a light on the words and thoughts of Lysander Spooner. He demonstrates very effectively that Spooner's writings deserve respectful appreciation alongside the other greats of political philosophy, from the ancient Greeks to the social contract theorists and even through to the advocates of natural law. Shone accomplishes his aim with extraordinary style, at every point capturing the intriguing spirit of Lysander Spooner as an icon of American anarchism, a fully developed ideology in its own right."---Brett S. Sharp, University of Central Oklahoma
"Home-grown American anarchism, which is distinct from its European counterparts and which defies placement on the usual ideological spectrum, is one of the most neglected topics in American political thought. With this book, Steve Shone performs an important service by exploring the relationship of Lysander Spooner's thought not only to the American tradition, but to the broad stream of Western political theory. Shone demonstrates that Spooner is more than a historical figure of passing interest; he is a thinker who continues to challenge us. Spooner's ideas, as explicated and analyzed here, constitute a resource of ongoing value to political philosophy."---William F. Byrne, St. John's University
作者簡介
Lysander Spooner: American Anarchist is the first book-length exposition of the ideas of the American anarchist and abolitionist who lived mostly in Boston, Massachusetts, from 1808 to 1887. Few people today are familiar with Spooner. Nonetheless, there are many interesting strands of original thought to be found in his works that have contemporary significance---for example, his reflections on the need for jury nullification and his devastating critique of the social contract. Rediscovering Spooner today is no mere investigation of a bygone nineteenth-century thinker, but rather a gateway to a brilliant and original scholar whose counsel should not be ignored.
Steve J. Shone is assistant of professor of political science at Winona State University.
