Oct 21, 2023Liked by Adrian Vermeule, Managing Editors- New Digest
I’m sure you’re aware of this, but from a UK perspective, this argument pretty much exactly matches arguments by thinkers in the Labour Party tradition for the claim that social democratic interventions by the state - the welfare state, state provision of public services such as health, economic regulation - increase rather than decrease freedom, at least for the vast majority (cf RH Tawney’s remark that “freedom for the pike is death to the minnow”). Indeed, many UK Conservative Party politicians in the “One Nation” tradition (or their Christian Democrat equivalents across the Channel, more visibly influenced by Catholic social thought) would traditionally have agreed with the thrust of that too.
Very much agree George! The modern antagonistic view of the political community’s relationship with the individual citizen, family, and local community, is quite a recent and very bad invention.
Absolutely. The resemblance isn’t accidental; it arises from the echoes of classical orientation to the common good that used to be found in certain strands of European social democracy and Christian democracy. (Whether they still are present, I leave as a question).
I’m sure you’re aware of this, but from a UK perspective, this argument pretty much exactly matches arguments by thinkers in the Labour Party tradition for the claim that social democratic interventions by the state - the welfare state, state provision of public services such as health, economic regulation - increase rather than decrease freedom, at least for the vast majority (cf RH Tawney’s remark that “freedom for the pike is death to the minnow”). Indeed, many UK Conservative Party politicians in the “One Nation” tradition (or their Christian Democrat equivalents across the Channel, more visibly influenced by Catholic social thought) would traditionally have agreed with the thrust of that too.
Very much agree George! The modern antagonistic view of the political community’s relationship with the individual citizen, family, and local community, is quite a recent and very bad invention.
Absolutely. The resemblance isn’t accidental; it arises from the echoes of classical orientation to the common good that used to be found in certain strands of European social democracy and Christian democracy. (Whether they still are present, I leave as a question).