Voltaire's Bastards

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With a new Introduction by the author, this “erudite and brilliantly readable book” (The Observer, London) dissects the political, economic, and social origins of Western civilization, revealing a culture ensnared by simplistic notions of rationality and expertise. The Western world presents numerous paradoxes: we champion individual freedom yet face immense pressure to conform; business leaders identify as capitalists while functioning as corporate employees; governments are labeled democracies, yet political participation is minimal; and despite complaints about invasive government, our systems—legal, educational, financial, social, cultural, and legislative—are deteriorating. John Ralston Saul argues that these issues stem from our blind faith in reason. Over the last 400 years, “rational elites” have transformed the modern West into a vast, incomprehensible machine run by process-minded experts—“Voltaire’s bastards”—whose commitment to scientific management lacks both sense and morality. This outlook pervades politics, art, business, the military, entertainment, science, finance, academia, and journalism, leading to a technologically advanced civilization where ordinary citizens are increasingly marginalized in decision-making. In this incisive critique of modern society and its roots—described as “pages [that] explode with insight, style and intellectual rigor” (Camille Paglia, The Washington Post)—Saul challenges the pol