A review by Philip Beattie Read the full review here Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society–Where We’ve Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go Author: John Horvat II Publisher: York Press. 2013. 400 pp. York Press, $21.95 “Order is the first need of the soul” Russell Kirk. Given that … Read more
Many people ask what an organic society would look like. They want to know how and where people would live. They want concrete examples of neighborhoods and towns that embody the organic principles that are expounded in Return to Order. They would be surprised to learn that some of these principles are still alive and … Read more
By Robert Stacy McCain. America has been on a “never-ending party cruise” for decades, according to John Horvat II, and the economic crash of 2008 was evidence that the hedonistic pursuit of consumer thrills cannot continue indefinitely. In this sense, our $17 trillion-dollar national debt stands as an indictment not merely of our federal government, … Read more
Several readers have asked why we allow Return to Order, the quintessential book denouncing frenetic intemperance, to be carried on Amazon and even use the firm as a means of distribution. It would seem a contradiction to utilize this frenzied company which also supports all sorts of liberal causes. Indeed, Amazon embodies so much of … Read more
Written by Gary Isbel. As part of the campaign to spread the ideas found in the book, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We’ve Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go, author John Horvat visited his native Kansas on April 27-30. On April 27, he … Read more
One of the major presuppositions of the book, Return to Order, is that we are facing a crisis that will seriously affect the nation. To use the book’s opening metaphor, our situation is like that of a ship facing a threatening storm. The natural tendency is to take measures and especially stock up on supplies. … Read more
Jesuit Fr. Bernard Dempsey warns against the use of the word “capitalism” in economic debate. The principal reason is that there is really no such thing as capitalism. He claims the word cannot be defined scientifically and really only exists in a Marxist dream world. F.A. Hayak declared that the word is largely the “creation … Read more
It is a popular myth that the huge pharmaceutical companies are the only ones with the resources to develop new drugs. Gigantic research labs and fat budgets will always trump the little guy. But that is not what is happening. Major pharmaceuticals are increasingly looking outside their in-house labs to find promising drugs. In fact, … Read more
Here is an interesting quote from Russell Kirk that explains the importance of order: “Without order, justice can rarely be enforced, and freedom cannot be maintained.” Taken from: Russell Kirk, Enemies of the Permanent Things: Observations of Abnormity in Literature and Politics, Arlington House, New Rochelle, N.Y., 1969 p. 256.
The recent merger between Safeway and Albertsons is yet one more consolidation of a grocery market with ever fewer players. Observers watching the merger note that the deal represents the classical tension between big and local. Giant Safeway offers more purchasing power and distribution channels. More community-oriented Albertsons, while no mom-and-pop store, gives regional managers … Read more
