Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities

It is not often that one is drawn to perusing a book on the strength of its title alone, but the book under review here is an example of a tome that fits this atypical category. In this manifesto, Martha Nussbaum launches a spirited defense of the arts and the humanities by contending not only that both are needed for effective global citizenship but also that such citizenship ought to be the basis upon which we build meaningful democratic societies. As she puts it, with ‘‘the rush to profitability in the global market, values precious for the future of democracy, especially in an era of religious and economic anxiety, are in danger of getting lost’’ (p. 6). So far so good but how does one make a credible case that is sufficiently detailed for the worth of the arts and the humanities to increasingly doubtful parents, students, university administrators, and government bureaucrats? Nussbaum attempts to make such a detailed case in this book. Does she succeed? Let us find out. Nussbaum begins the proceedings by reminding the reader that although education prepares people for employment, more importantly, it also prepares them for ‘‘meaningful lives’’ (p. 9). In this regard, argues Nussbaum, it is salient to comprehend that the stability of democracies depends on the support of appropriately educated citizens. She then goes on to point out that even though the national interest of modern democracies REVIEW OF SOCIAL ECONOMY