Geoffrey Vickers's critique of liberalism, in both its classical and modern interventionist forms, and his emphasis on individual responsibility, is resonant of philosophic conservatism. However, his systemic insights led him to radical conclusions, and he mounted a powerful argument for major change in what he called the “appreciative system” of the industrialized West. The systems concepts that Vickers developed in this context make a distinctive contribution to political philosophy and should command more serious critical attention than they have yet received.
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