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Scaling the Heights: Thoughts Leadership, Liberal Values and the History of the Mont Pelerin Society
The Mont Pelerin Society is an august, admired, yet strangely enigmatic organisation. Perhaps that’s because it holds no official views, formulates no policies and publishes no manifestos. Or because it doesn’t publicise the results of its discussions – and doesn’t even seek agreement among its members. So why does this singularly low-profile organisation attract distinctly high-profile members – including distinguished politicians, Pulitzer Prize–winning writers and journalists and Nobel Prize–winning economists? Perhaps because, for three quarters of a century, it has played a crucial role in the battle of ideas – expanding and deepening liberal philosophy and spreading liberal thought around the world. In Scaling the Heights, Eamonn Butler traces the history of the Mont Pelerin Society. He tracks its formation in the wake of World War II, explores its many internal debates about how ‘activist’ it should become and explains how it has come to provide a unique forum for debate, discussion, study and self-education. But, above all, he celebrates a Society that, for 75 years, has remained unwaveringly true to its initial to bring together individuals who seek to defend, support and promote liberal values – and to keep the intellectual flame of liberalism burning brightly across the globe.
120 pages, Paperback
Published September 29, 2022
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September 8, 2024
2024-09-08 I just finished this little book (86pp + additional sections on "Further Reading," "Participants of inaugural meeting," a list of all the meetings, locations & dates (up to publication), Presidents, Secretaries and treasurers of the Society, as well as all the members who won a Nobel Prize.
Eamon Butler is a very good and lucid writer. Quite objective and diplomatic, without going overboard and watering down some very real conflicts.
This account of the Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) was very well done, fits all my observations over the last almost 50 years or so, and is a great summary of what the MPS is all about. He even noted what "Pelerin" means, which was the first time I had seen that! Kudos to him.
Eamon Butler is a very good and lucid writer. Quite objective and diplomatic, without going overboard and watering down some very real conflicts.
This account of the Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) was very well done, fits all my observations over the last almost 50 years or so, and is a great summary of what the MPS is all about. He even noted what "Pelerin" means, which was the first time I had seen that! Kudos to him.
Displaying 1 of 1 review