This work reviews three studies of modern political life: Hegel's "Elements of the Philosophy of Right", Marx's "Capital" and Hannah Arendt's "Origins of Totalitarianism", to reveal how they contrast freedom, equality, solidarity with the grubbier reality of domination and violence.

In this work R.D. Fine reviews three studies of modern political life: Hegel's "Elements of the Philosophy of Right"; Marx's "Capital"; and Hannah Arendt's "Origins of Totalitarianism". In Fine's account all three emerge as "critical texts" which contrast the great promise of modern politics - freedom, equality, solidarity, etc. - with the grubbier reality of domination and violence. They are all revealed as "empirical" works which analyze the actual forms of political modernity, as "scientific" works which are not content merely with describing external appearances, as "dynamic" works concerned with the movement and trajectory of modern politics, and finally as "unmasking texts" which not only address the illusions of modern politics but also the illusion of unmasking itself.