The Politics and Business of Self-Interest from Tocqueville to Trump

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Richard Ned Lebow

   Pages 1-25

3. Self-Interest

   • Richard Ned Lebow

   Pages 27-43

4. Presidential Speeches

   • Richard Ned Lebow

   Pages 45-61

5. I Love Lucy to Modern Family

   • Richard Ned Lebow

   Pages 63-86

6. Rock to Rap

   • Richard Ned Lebow

   Pages 87-104

7. Self-Interest and Democracy

   • Richard Ned Lebow

   Pages 105-121

8. Back Matter

   Pages 123-125

   PDF

Self-interest is an important human motive and this book explores its evolution in the United States and its consequences for politics, business, and personal relationships. In the postwar era American understandings of self-interest have moved away from Alexis de Tocqueville’s concept of “self-interest well-understood” – in which people recognize that their interests are served by the success of the community of which they are part – towards “individualism” – by which he meant narrow framing that often leads people to pursue their interests at the expense of the community. The book documents this evolution through qualitative and quantitative content analysis of presidential speeches, television sitcoms and popular music, before exploring its negative consequences for democracy. 

• Tocqueville self-interest
• political theory and Donald Trump
• individualism in American history
• individualism and Trump
• political theory and community
• community and Trump
• democratic theory and Trump
• self-interest in presidential speeches
• self-interest in American sitcoms
• self-interest in popular music
• selfish behaviour and America
• Tocqueville's Democracy in America
• American political crisis
• culture wars in America
• American politics
• US politics
• political leadership in America
• Donald Trump and selfishness
• American political culture
• popular culture and US politics
• democracy

“Richard Ned Lebow provides an insightful reading of the way the rhetoric of self-interest has shifted across recent American history. In a wide ranging critical analysis, Lebow examines political and popular discourses to pursue the negative impact of unrestrained self-interest. This volume will be essential reading for any citizen concerned with the trajectory of American politics and culture.” (Professor Kendall Phillips, Syracuse University, USA)

“Richard Ned Lebow provides an impressive analysis providing insight into the current state of political fragmentation and social polarization. He masterfully charts the transformation of America’s concept of self-interest based on the success of members of the community to individualism where all interests are self-interests without regard for others.  The age of psychological egoism where all interest is self-interest presents a clear danger to democracy.” (Professor Robert E. Denton, Virginia Tech, USA)

• Department of War Studies, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom

  Richard Ned Lebow

Richard Ned Lebow is Professor at King’s College London, UK, and Bye-Fellow of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, UK. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and author of 35 books and almost 300 peer reviewed articles and book chapters in a career spanning six decades.

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