Communication and the Evolution of Society

In this important volume Habermas outlines the views which form thebasis of his critical theory of modern societies. The volumecomprises five interlocking essays, which together define thecontours of his theory of communication and of his substantiveaccount of social change. 'What is Universal Pragmatics?' is the best available statement ofHabermas's programme for a theoryof communication based on theanalysis of speech acts. In the following two essays Habermas drawson the work of Kohlberg and others to develop a distinctive accountof moral consciousness and normative structures. 'Toward aReconstruction of historical Materialsim' takes these issuesfurther, offering a wide-ranging reconstruction of Marx'shistorical materialsim understood as a theory of social evolution.The final essay focuses on the question of legitimacy and on thelegitimation problems faced by modern states. This book is essential reading for anyone concerned with the keyquestions of social and political theory today.