Critical Analysis Of Tony Judt's Ill Fares The Land

Tony Judt’s Ill Fares The Land criticizes postwar western society, ultimately blaming younger peoples’ senses of political apathy for the vast changes that have occurred in our world during the past few decades. He explains that much of the younger population unwillingly accepts the practice of apoliticism, which is the idea that since politics are so degraded in our time, we should give up on it (163). This point specifically resonated with me, because as I reflect on many conversations I have had regarding politics with fellow peers, many of them hold careless attitudes concerning the matter. “I don’t understand politics” and “How does my vote even count?” are only some apathetic excerpts that come to memory. In a democratic system like my

He began his arguments in Ill Fares the Land using charts, which demonstrated the gaps of inequality between different world powers, specifically the detrimental stance of the United States in terms of health, crime, illness, etc. He defines America through its low social stances, “broken highways, bankrupt cities, collapsing bridges, failed schools, the unemployed, the underpaid,” (50) creating a disparity between the power and other socially just nations. However, Judt fails to mention that the United States’ total government spending of 40 percent of G.D.P. is almost equal to those great liberal states he speaks of, such as Norway at 41 percent. I think that Judt’s narrow view towards capitalist democratic powers, such as the United States, creates conflict in his arguments. It is fair to criticize their practices, but to call for a completely social democratic nation is not tangible. Sometimes it is vital for the government to play a role in social circumstances, such as the stock market recession of 2008. Also, if all of the power is turned over to the states as Judt encourages, citizens may manipulate public power for their private gain. Judt also calls for social advocacy from young people to help better the western