3 out of 4 stars
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In Responsibilities Before Rights, author Robin Howat discusses the heavy topic of improving society through reason and constructive action. The emphasis of this book is upon changing Western society's indulgent perception that "rights" are automatically bequeathed to citizens without taking responsibilities or obligations into account. The author asserts that in order to have a society that benefits of all people, we must put aside our concern with what we are allowed to do, and focus instead upon what we should do (hence the title of this book).
At six-hundred two pages in length, the book presents thorough discussions of the responsibilities of all citizens within every tier of society. The roles of governments, businesses, educators, family units, and individuals are laid out in great detail, with no topic being spared. The author offers straightforward advice and detailed solutions for the many problems that plague society, both at the local and global levels. Obviously, this is not light reading by anyone's standards!
The author shares his opinions passionately while maintaining a calm and reasonable tone. I admired Mr. Howat's ability to maintain this balance, and found most of his points to be rational and realistic. Regarding the few topics on which we disagreed, I was still able to understand and respect his viewpoint. Furthermore, Mr. Howat never stoops to insulting the institutions that he feels could be improved upon, which I found very refreshing.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the useful information it contained about many current issues. The author presented facts pertaining to climate change and the recent influx of Middle Eastern refugees into Western nations that was completely new to me. Additionally, Mr. Howat offered extensive (and very sound) advice on how to improve the sad state of public education, a topic that is of great personal importance to me.
I only have two minor complaints about this book. First, I did find a number of minor typographical errors, and although they weren't much of a distraction, they did clash with the meticulous feel of the book. Also, the author began to repeat himself regarding several issues within the last hundred pages, which I believe added unnecessary bulk to an already lengthy tome.
But I found Responsibilities Before Rights to be a worthwhile and thought-provoking read, and I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest sociology, psychology, or current events. However, I feel compelled to warn again that this book is not an easy read, and that it will require a good deal of time to finish. Those who are up to the task may also want to keep and pen and pad handy to write down any points of interest.
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Responsibilities Then Rights
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