Amitai Etzioni was an influential author and sociologist who advocated for societies built around the common good.
- Died: May 31, 2023 (Who else died on May 31?)
- Details of death: Died in Washington, D.C. at the age of 94.
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Amitai Etzioni’s legacy
Amitai Etzioni was born in 1929 to a Jewish family in Germany who escaped the Nazi regime and relocated to Palestine in the 1930s. Following World War II, he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; he later received his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.
Etzioni’s work as an author brought him widespread attention within the academic community. Books such as “The Active Society,” “The Spirit of Community,” ‘The New Golden Rule,” and “The New Normal” took deep dives into the subject of communitarianism, a philosophy that seeks to balance individual rights with the greater good of the community at large.
He served as a senior policy advisor in President Jimmy Carter’s White House, prompting a 1980 Washington Post headline: “A Sociologist at the White House? Etzioni Is a Man for All Reasons.” In 1994 and 1995, he served as the president of the American Sociological Association.
Etzioni also wrote extensively about socioeconomics, became an advocate for peaceful conflict resolution, joined the movement against nuclear weapons, and more. He has been awarded at least eight honorary degrees, was a member of the National Academy of Medicine, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the John P. McGovern Award in Behavioral Sciences and the Lester F. Ward Distinguished Contributions Award in Applied Sociology.
Notable quote
“Our agenda, by necessity, is as complex and encompassing as the problems we face: beware of politicians promising simple solutions.” — from Etzioni’s “The spirit of community: rights, responsibilities, and the communitarian agenda,” 1993
Tributes to Amitai Etzioni
Full obituary: The Washington Post
