The Rhetoric of Reaction: Perversity, Futility, Jeopardy is a book by theorist Albert O. Hirschman, which styles the rhetoric of conservatism in opposition to social change as consisting of three narratives: perversity, futility, and jeopardy, and that, further, these narratives are simplistic and flawed, and cut off debate. After a historical examination of his thesis, he discusses corresponding progressive narratives, and proposes a new framework. Hirschman takes as a starting point the neoconservative critiques of social security and other social welfare programs. Recalling Thomas Humphrey Marshall's theory of the development of citizenship in the West by which civil, political, and social dimensions of citizenship are successively achieved, Hirschman illustrates the rhetoric of reactionaries through citing arguments concerning three major reforms: the French Revolution, moves toward universal suffrage in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the concerns over the welfare state in his time.

Reactionary narratives

Hirschman describes the reactionary narratives thus: He argues that these are "rhetorics of intransigence", which do not further debate.

Progressive narratives

In the final chapter, Hirschman discusses progressive narratives which he regards as simplistic and flawed.

Proposal

Hirschman advocates instead these "mature" bases for discussion:

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