Joseph Heath on the Death of Marxism

In 'The Machinery of Government', Joseph Heath examines the crucial but often overlooked role of civil servants in liberal-democratic states. He challenges the traditional model of state power, arguing that the complexity of modern governance requires significant rule-making power to be delegated to expert administrators. Heath provides a 'philosophy of the executive' by analyzing the normative principles that guide public administration, emphasizing the importance of political neutrality, efficiency, and respect for the rule of law. The book offers a corrective to the tendency to underestimate the contribution of civil servants and suggests a more satisfactory account of the principles implicit in public administration.

Dans ce livre, François Ewald retrace l'émergence de l'État providence à partir du XIXe siècle, en montrant comment la société a progressivement substitué la logique de la responsabilité individuelle par celle de la solidarité collective. Il explore la transformation de la rationalité juridique et politique, en mettant en lumière le rôle central de la problématisation de l'accident et du risque dans la construction de la sécurité sociale. L'ouvrage propose une réflexion profonde sur les dimensions philosophiques et morales de cette mutation sociale.

In *Nickel and Dimed*, Barbara Ehrenreich chronicles her three-month experiment living on minimum-wage earnings, working as a waitress, maid, and retail clerk. The book highlights the impossibility of making ends meet on such wages, revealing the harsh realities faced by low-income workers in the United States. It was expanded from an article in *Harper's Magazine* and became a bestseller, praised for its impactful portrayal of economic inequality.

In 'Anarchy, State, and Utopia', Robert Nozick presents a rigorous argument in favor of a minimal state, limited to the narrow functions of protection against force, theft, fraud, and the enforcement of contracts. He critiques more extensive state activities as violations of individual rights and argues against more extreme views such as anarcho-capitalism. Nozick's work is influenced by John Locke, Immanuel Kant, and Friedrich Hayek, and it includes a theory of rights, a critique of John Rawls' 'A Theory of Justice', and a model of utopia. The book is a foundational text of libertarian thought and has been widely acclaimed for its philosophical richness and analytical argumentation.

In 'Enlightenment 2. 0', Joseph Heath argues that the current political landscape is increasingly divided between rational and irrational discourse. He proposes a new approach called 'slow politics', which emphasizes slow thought, deliberation, and debate to counteract the rapid-fire pace of modern politics. Heath draws on psychological and philosophical research to advocate for collective action against social conditions that hinder rational thought.