Never a Matter of Indifference

In this first book generated by the Hoover Institution's Initiative on American Individualism and Values, the contributors reveal how, over the last several decades, public policy in the United States has weakened the institutions of civil society--institutions that play a critical role in forming and sustaining the qualities of mind and character crucial to democratic self-government. The authors attempt to show what can be done, consistent with the principles of a free society, to establish a healthier relationship between public policy and character. They ultimately reveal how the defense of liberty in our day requires a rethinking of the complex relation between a citizen's character, civil society, and government.