Confusing terms: Liberals, Liberalism, and Libertarians

Transcription

1 Confusing terms: Liberals, Liberalism, and Libertarians Liberalism = a philosophy about liberty and equality. A 17th-century philosopher, John Locke, is often credited with founding liberalism. Locke said each person has a natural right to life, liberty and property, and that governments must not violate these rights based on a social contract. Locke s followers opposed sticking with traditions and sought to replace monarchies with a representative democracy and the rule of law. His philosophy promoted principles such as: 1. Freedom of speech 2. Freedom of the press 3. Freedom of religion 4. Free markets 5. Civil rights 6. Democratic societies (states rights?) 7. Secular governments 8. Gender equality 9. International cooperation Example of content in a social contract Constitution of US Peaceably assemble Petition government Liberalism rejected the prevailing social and political norms: hereditary privilege state religion absolute monarchy divine right of kings These folks were called Liberals in the 1690s. Liberals are not on the following chart that describes the competing philosophies in the 21 st century.

2 Philosophical Groups = Conservatives / Progressives / Socialists / Libertarians BIG LIE attempts are noted in red in this chart. (aka Liberal)?? (aka Socialist) This visual from the Internet shows how Progressives try to revise history.

3 The Big Lie It addresses the following questions. Which philosophy below is right wing? Which is/are left wing? Which prefers individual liberty priority? Which prefers common good priority? Which prefers large government? Which prefers small government? Communism (Total government control) Socialism (Elected councils control) Nazism (Racial National socialism) Fascism (National socialism) Capitalism (Private property rights) It includes lessons from history. Which party supported these topics? Slavery in America 1619 until 1865 Began in Jamestown (plantations) Segregation 1619 to 1954 (Brown v BOE) Schools, Restaurants, Hotels, etc Birth of a Nation 1915 (silent film) Originally called The Clansman The Charter of Labor 1927 Control of deficient private enterprises Italo Balbo 1933 Time magazine cover White House luncheon Which of the above inspired these events? Labor Camps 1933 to 1945 Segregation Brown shirts 1933 to 1945 KKK Who was this article describing? Unanimous POA 1933 (NYT article) By Anne McCormick The Italian Fascism of Mussolini and the American Progressivism of Woodrow Wilson and other leaders are ideological relatives, if not twins.

4 FASCISM The Charter of Labor of 1927 (Italian: Carta del Lavoro) One of the main pieces of legislation Benito Mussolini introduced in his attempts to modernize the Italian economy. The Charter was promulgated by the Grand Council of Fascism and publicized in the Lavoro d'italia newspaper on April 23, It was mainly designed by Giuseppe Bottai, Minister of Corporations. The Charter declared private enterprise must be efficient. This helped Mussolini to get the support of the rich industrialists who were the initial backers of Fascism. The Charter insisted that state intervention was legitimate when a private enterprise like banking was deemed deficient.

5 FASCISM In Mussolini s conception of the economy, everyone should perform a function, defined by the state, and receive a ration, allotted by the state. This kind of centralization and planning in which the state need not actually own the nation s various resources and industries has become without doubt the most dominant politico-economic paradigm in the world today. After the Cold War state socialism and communism lost the global battle of ideas. Fascism, in its most literal and historical sense, seems to have won. Very large administrative and regulatory agencies in the US have been developed similar to the Italian Fascism s syndicates. The aims and effects of today s agencies: 1. To denounce the spontaneity and self-determination of free economies 2. To gather power and property into the hands of an elite group (progressives)

6 FASCISM Tragically, the crucial distinction between means and ends remains little understood in general political and philosophical discourse. The distinction that liberalism insists upon is that no end can justify the violation of individual rights. Fascism claims that the individual has no rights, that only a nation-state exists. What fascists of all kinds will never understand is that the strongest communities are constituted of free individuals who voluntarily join them. Italian Fascism (1915), while promoting itself as an agent of scientific and industrial progress, was in fact a retrograde movement, discarding the genuine progress of eighteenth and nineteenth century liberalism. The good news is that fascism can be defeated as you will see later.

7 How Fascism was ascribed to Conservatives. Herbert Marcuse (a Jew) was a Marxist. He had to flee Hitler s Germany. He and Adorno were German scholars who came to the USA and worked together. Marcuse explained how fascism was alive and well in the USA because of the lack of sexual freedom. He claimed that religion and family were part of this far right suppression of sexual freedom. He said that corporate advertising was also complicit in this suppression and that tolerance was not exhibited by right wing conservatives. He said all of this proved that conservatives were fascists. This garbage is why we have groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter attacking conservatives. They believe his writings that progressive professors promote. His mantra was that there should be no free speech for fascist conservatives. The progressives agreed. He exhorted progressives to employ discrimination, repression and even violence to make their views acceptable. He advocated intimidation.

8 In a test designed by Theodor W. Adorno, the F scale score indicates an authoritarian, anti-democratic personality profile that makes a person susceptible to Fascist propaganda. Categories of questions are shown below. Conventionalism: Adherence to conventional values. Authoritarian Submission: Towards authority figures. Anti-Intraception: Opposition to subjectivity and imagination. Superstition and Stereotypy: Belief in individual fate; thinking in rigid categories. Power and Toughness: Concerned with submission and domination; assertion of strength. Destructiveness and Cynicism: Hostility against human nature. Projectivity: Perception of the world as dangerous; tendency to project unconscious impulses. Sex: Overly concerned with modern sexual practices. Authoritarian Aggression: Against people who violate conventional values. A big question is missing from the test: Do you support increasing the power of the centralized state over individuals, families, churches, and the private sector?

9 Before the 2000 presidential election, the traditional color-coding scheme was often "Blue for Republican, Red for Democrat," in line with European associations, where red is used for left-leaning parties, and blue for the right.? Really only two Philosophical Views for voters?? Fascism can be defeated if Conservatives employ Locke s classical liberalism. Note corrections to chart and questions! GREEN is not separate practiced by all groups!

10 Philosophical Options = Conservatives / Progressives / Socialists / Libertarians So what are their different major priorities? Conservatives: 1. Want small federal government (low taxes) i. Reduced spending 2. Want maximum states rights 3. Want strict application of the Constitution 4. Want strict application of existing laws Progressives (fascists): 1. Want maximum government welfare 2. Want minimum individual rights 3. Want changes to the Constitution Socialists (statists): 1. Want large federal government 2. Want minimum individual rights Liberals is not an option! Libertarians: 1. Want charitable welfare; not government welfare 2. Want lowest taxation possible like none during the American Revolution In 2000 the Times spread used red for Republicans because "red begins with r, and Republican begins with r," said the senior graphics editor Archie Tse, "it was a more natural association. The election, which didn't end until mid- December, firmly established Democrats as the blue party and Republicans as the red denotations which will likely hold fast for some time to come. Voters need to be aware of these differences when they vote.