Good Society

The central claim in this article is simple to the point of seeming naive: aesthetic activities make society better. They are essential for the so-called good society. Specifically it is argued that aesthetic reflection contributes to what Maeve Cooke calls ‘human flourishing’.

Vocabularies from the two dominant discourses in social analysis are surveyed:
(1) Applied Social Science, which is, generally speaking, empirically grounded and sits within a tradition of Positivism in relation to social analysis and
(2) Critical Theory, which is more theoretical, speculative and sits within a Marxian tradition of social theory.

First, I introduce the instrumental use of aesthetic practices and vocabularies that I want to oppose. This is done through a brief account of some ways in which creative practice can be used in forms of neo-liberal governance.

Second, I survey and compare the use of aesthetics in Applied Social Science and Critical Theory. As I discuss, despite their differences both employ an understanding of the good society based on human flourishing. I conclude by offering three ways in which aesthetic practices contribute to human flourishing: (1) through fostering individual flourishing; (2) as a form of political imagination; and (3) as a model of discourse not regulated by truth.

ITALIAN ABSTRACT
In questa voce di dizionario mi concentrerò sulla storia del concetto di Buon governo con particolar riferimento alla sua reinterpretazione da parte di alcuni studiosi latamente appartenenti alla storia del liberalismo Italiano. In particolare analizzerò: 1) Il buon governo come problema e come ricerca; 2) Significati classici del buongoverno; 3) Reinterpretazioni del buon governo nella modernità; 4) Il problema del buon governo in Cattaneo, Mosca e Rossi; 5) Einaudi: buon governo, liberalismo, libertà.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT
In this dictionary entry I will focus on the history of the concept of Good Governanment focusing especially on its reinterpretation by some scholars (loosely) belonging the history of Italian liberalism. In particular I will analyze: 1) Good government as a problem and as a re-search; 2) Classic meanings of good government; 3) Reinterpretations of good government in modernity; 4) The issue of good government in Cattaneo, Mosca and Rossi; 5) Einaudi: good government, liberalism, freedom.