Chapter by chapter summary of Karl Poppers The Open Society & Its Enemies.

by timgoughuk | on 19 Dec, 2011

Every wanted to read this two volume beast of a book? No? Well you should! You havent got
time? Well here is my 1 paragraph per chapter summary of the book. Enjoy.
1. Historicism + the Myth of Destiny. Historicism Racialism + Marxism
2. Hesiod + HERACLITUS comes us with the problem of change
3. Theory of Forms/Ideas. 1. Central to his theory of Knowledge which depends on gaining
access to the essence of things in the world of Ideas or unchanging forms; 2. Provides
regularities that maintain continuity behind chaos; 3. Provides the rationalization of the quest to
achieve the unchanging social order which approximates to the Ideal of the State. Essentialism
(know the essence, the definition, and the name). The Ideas or Forms are earlier and better than
their changing and decaying copies and are themselves not in flux.
4. * Change and Rest. Platos political program to create a stable, totalitarian state. He thought of
existing states as decaying copies of Form or Idea of a state. He tried to reconstruct the idea
from Sparta and Greece and so tried to replicate it by eliminating the germs of disunion and
decay as radically as possible. So the master class is esteemed which guaranteed its economics,
its breeding, and its training. State must take control, people are human sheep; right breeding is
essential; writing includes strict censorship as does some music.
5. Nature and Convention. The moral demands of our new and changing world is for equality,
freedom, and helping the weak. Three purposes: 1. Views on critical dualism, does not lead to the
conclusion: one system better than another; 2. Critical dualism = one important difference
between closed and open societies; 3. He shows how Plato fudged the distinction to support his
political program.
6. * Totalitarian Justice. Plato created an influential theory of totalitarian justice as an alternative
to equalitarian/individualist justice. Plato said individualism is not compatible with altruism. He
exploited weaknesses used to defend equalitarian justice. These weaknesses are theories of
natural rights etc.
7. The Principle of Leadership. Who shall rule the state = accepted as the fundamental
questionPopper says this is unhelpful and misleading + results in confusion about realistic +
rational objectives of democratic reform. Sec.1-3 outlines his alternative approach to democracy;
Sec.4-5 criticises Platos theory of leadership of the wise and attacks Platos theory of education
which prepares philosophical kings for their role.
8. The Philosopher King. Expansion of Ch.7, more detail on breeding and training.
9. Aesthetism, Perfectionism, Utopianism. SOCIAL ENGINEERING shouldnt be aiming for the
greatest good, but instead eliminating urgent evils. Platos method leads to huge human suffering
(n.b. this is pre Soviet Disaster, Pre-Cambodia, Pre Maos China). Control of past = essential, and
so the future has to be re-written. Moral principles in CHAPTER 5 minimize suffering rather than
maximize happiness, promote tolerance and avoid tyranny. Fit with piecemeal reform and
democratic government because most people can agree on concrete steps to address suffering
and the problems of people in need whereas there are likely to be many conflicting views on the
way that happiness should be sought. Killing people is not a reversible process.
10. The open society and its enemies. Tribal/collectivist society = closed. Society in which
individuals are confronted with personal decisions = open. Plato genuinely hated tyranny +
desired to make people happy by relieving the strain of social and political change. Popper
believes society is progressing from closed to open, Platos idea makes people sit where they are
which leads to fundamentalism and cults. We must go on into the unknown, the uncertain and
insecure, using what reason we may have to plan as well as we can for both security and
freedom. [Last Page, Vol. 1]
11. NEW VOLUME YAY! The Aristotelian Roots of Hegelianism. Popper critiques methodology
and epistemology that seeks true definitions and detailed conceptual analysis and labels this
essentialism. Aristotle did not like democracy. Meaning of terms is v-unhelpful (says Popper),
essentialism is an unhelpful obsession with terms
12. Hegel and the New Tribalism.

13. *(NOTE. Christian authoritarianism of the middle ages) Marxism = the most dangerous form
of historianism. Marx places great stress on scientific prediction which led him astray.
14. Marx rejected the idea that motives or psychological factors provide adequate explanation of
socioeconomic structures and historical events.
15. Marx was not a vulgar Marxist, or a vulgar materialist. Marx says that the social sciences
coincide with historical or evolutionary method, and especially with historical prophecy. Marx also
says that the economic organisation of society is fundamental for the societys historical
development. (Popper disagrees with these two claims).
16. The Classes. The Marxist theory of classes is a dangerous over-simplification.
17. The Legal and the Social System. Marxs theory of the state. Marx asserts (and Popper
denies) the need to use political power to control economic power. Abuse of power is not
supposed to be a problem under socialism. Rules need to be impartial and not discretionary
orders.
18. *The Coming of Socialism. Popper tests the coherence of the chain of predictions that Marx
made for the coming of socialism following the revolution. Can we assume that a classless
society will emerge from the battle?
19. The Social Revolution. Marx, social prophecy that struggle would end in violent war
between the classes (last class standing). Marxist rhetoric undermines democracy and opens the
way for fascism.
20. Capitalism and its Fate. Marx gives way to basically a theory of exploitation. Marx was
completely wrong in his prophecies, yet justified in reacting against oppressive capitalism.
21. An Evaluation of the Prophecy. Free market will minimize (or tend to correct) overproduction
and underproduction, and will ensure a fairly rapid recovery form busts
22. *The Moral Theory of Historicism. Marxism cannot provide either reliable prophecies (nothing
can) or advice on the piecemeal reforms that might achieve desired outcomes (Marx regarded
that as Utopian) what accounts for the power and impact of Marxism? OPEN SOCIETY GIVES
SPACE TO CREATE NEW OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. Marx determinism was in conflict
with his activism and his moralism, those who take on the whole package confuse themselves.
23. *The Sociology of Knowledge. Whatever objectivity and rationality we can achieve cannot be
attributed to special qualities of mind but to the give and take of criticism in a community. Popper
talks against two emerging ideas, one was controlling social change by means of largescale
central planning, the other was the theory of social determination of scientific knowledge.
24. Oracular Philosophy and the Revolt against Reason. Rationalism / Reason?
25. *Has History any Meaning? In this chapter Popper is revealed as something like an
existentialist (without hysteria) with the message that history has no meaning but we can give it
meaning.
a. Outlines the importance of theories to organise historical data
b. Theories in Scientific research
c. Role of problems/issues/points of view in compiling historical narratives
d. Meaning and purpose in history
History has no meaning. A universal history of mankind would have to be the story of all men and
women, the history of all human hopes, struggles, and sufferings because nobody is more
important than anyone else (a highly egalitarian view!). But that history cannot be written, it is far
too rich, all narratives have to be selective and focused.
He discusses the extent that the Christian view of history helps/hinders good historical research
and writing. He criticises Kierkegaard.
History has no meaning, we can give it a meaning.
quotes: