Benjamin Barber
Full Name and Common Aliases
Benjamin Barber is commonly known as Ben Barber.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on May 9, 1939, in Bronxville, New York; passed away on June 23, 2014.
Nationality and Profession(s)
American professor of public policy, political scientist, and author. He was also a visiting scholar at several universities and a member of various think tanks and organizations.
Early Life and Background
Benjamin Barber grew up in a middle-class family in New York City. His interest in politics began early, influenced by his parents' involvement in social activism during the Great Depression. He attended Bronx High School of Science before enrolling at Columbia University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1961.
Barber went on to receive his master's degree from Yale University and his Ph.D. from the same institution in 1969. His early academic work focused on the role of community participation in governance, a theme that would become a central concern throughout his career.
Major Accomplishments
Benjamin Barber is best known for his pioneering work in the field of participatory democracy, which he introduced through his book "Strong Democracy: Participatory Politics for a New Age" (1984). This work challenged the conventional wisdom on representative government and advocated for increased citizen involvement in policy-making.
Other notable accomplishments include:
The Great War of the 21st Century: A concept that proposes an ongoing struggle between those who prioritize national sovereignty and those who advocate for global governance, which he introduced in his book "Jihad vs. McWorld" (1995).
If Mayors Ruled the World: Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities (2014): A collection of essays exploring the potential for cities to become more effective than nations in addressing global challenges.
Notable Works or Actions
Barber's work has been widely recognized and praised. He was awarded numerous grants and fellowships from organizations such as the Carnegie Corporation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have influenced scholars, policymakers, and activists around the world.
As a professor and public intellectual, Barber was known for his engaging writing style and ability to communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences. He lectured widely on topics related to democracy, globalization, and urban governance.
Impact and Legacy
Benjamin Barber's contributions to the field of political science have had a lasting impact on our understanding of democratic participation and global governance. His work has inspired new approaches to civic engagement, city-led development, and international cooperation.
His ideas continue to influence scholars, policymakers, and activists working towards more inclusive and effective forms of governance. As a public intellectual, Barber's commitment to making complex issues accessible to broad audiences helped bridge the gap between academia and the general public.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Benjamin Barber is widely quoted and remembered for his thought-provoking insights on the challenges facing democracy in the 21st century. His work offers a compelling vision of participatory politics, global citizenship, and city-led innovation that resonates with people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.
Through his writings and public engagement, Barber has left an enduring legacy as a champion of democratic participation, civic engagement, and human-centered governance.
Quotes by Benjamin Barber
Consumer sales depend on the habits and behaviors of consumers, and those who manipulate consumer markets cannot but address behavior and attitude. That is presumably the object of the multibillion-dollar global advertising industry. Tea drinkers are improbable prospects for Coke sales.
Jefferson thought schools would produce free men: we prove him right by putting dropouts in jail.
Independence used to be the ticket for liberty. But today, security and freedom, whether it’s in the Arab Spring, whether it’s in Iraq or whether it’s right here in the United States, means working cooperatively and interdependently with others.
The question to ask is not whether you are a success or a failure, but whether you are a learner or a nonlearner.
Having created the conditions that make markets possible, democracy must do all the things that markets undo or cannot do.
Civility is a work of the imagination, for it is through the imagination that we render others sufficiently like ourselves for them to become subjects of tolerance and respect, if not always affection.
Where once the student was taught that the unexamined life was not worth living, he is now taught that the profitably lived life is not worth examining.
I don't divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures. I divide the world into the learners and nonlearners.