Politics of Fear

The terms "left" and "right" pervade all our discussions of politics. But, argues Frank Furedi, these terms have lost their meaning - and in fact are often used to mean the opposite of what they once meant. For a grown-up politics we need to replace these terms with a less simplistic language.

In this brilliant and provocative book, Furedi shows how modern politics revolves around the way we regard people. On the one hand are those increasingly vocal lobbies (not limited to any single party) who regard people as vulnerable - constantly in need of protection from risk, change and even knowldge itself. Against this view, Furedi urges a more confident, robust, politics based on the belief that, armed with knowledge and a willingness both to learn from the part and to face the future, humans are remarkably good at coping with crises and adapting to change.

Whilst acknowledging the impoverished state of politics today and the pervasiveness of fear, this is ultimately Furedi's most optimistic work.