Riesman’s instincts were politically progressive and socially liberal. He supported civil rights and women’s liberation long before they were mainstream. But he had witnessed the devastation caused by the extreme ideologies of fascism and communism. He viewed civilization as fragile, a thin crust covering destructive human passions that could be enflamed by ideologies. He argued that it was urgent to support movements for arms control and détente with the Soviet Union to avoid nuclear war. He opposed the Viet Nam war as a mistake that provoked aggressive impulses in America from both sides of the political spectrum. When the anti-war movement turned violent, he spoke out against it, alienating those on the left who had viewed him as an ally. They did not understand that Riesman feared their extremism would provoke a right-wing backlash that would undermine civility and threaten civil liberties.