LIBERAL THEORY OF THE STATE

After John Rawls argued that justice should be the basis of a liberal state, liberal theory swirls around justice, its various interpretations, its limitations, and its well-grounded reason. Around 2010, the cracks in the invincibility of liberalism became visible.
Receding democracy, rising conservatism, identity politics, protectionism, curtailment of freedom, rise of authoritarian leadership, and crisis in governance are contributing in the decline of liberalism in the recent times. Are we heading towards post-liberal world or we need to reorient the philosophical bases of liberalism to rejuvenate it? The book deals with these new trends with a fresh approach and provides a possible solution for saving human values of individual dignity, freedom, equality, fraternity, and peace by exploring the possibility of replacing justice by ahimsa as the philosophical basis of a humanitarian state.

Naresh Dadhich is the former Vice-Chancellor (2006–2013) of Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota. He retired as Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur in 2016. His special academic interest areas are Political Theory, Gandhian Thought and Peace and Nonviolence. His published works include Contemporary Political Theory, John Rawls and Gandhi and Existentialism.