Useful Readings on Progressivism and Contemporary Politics

[Valin]

Ricochet:

John Grant

6/2/12

 

There has been some spirited discussion on Ricochet about the relationship between the early Progressive movement and contemporary politics. For those who have found that discussion interesting, I recommend reading this Heritage Foundation New Common Sense that maintains there is a fundamental continuity between the Progressivism of Teddy Roosevelt and the policies of Barack Obama. Obama, and his immediate predecessor, both explicitly claim to be connected to the earlier Progressivism; it is useful for us to study this relationship for immediate practical reasons as well as the unalloyed pleasure of learning.

 

TR's New Nationalism speech and Thomas G. West's overview of Progressivism are linked in the Heritage article. I highly recommend both to anyone interested in understanding the Progressive movement. West's essay is the best short piece known to me on the basic character of Progressivism. TR's speech The Right of the People to Rule and the Progressive Party Platform of 1912 are very useful for anyone wishing to understand the domestic policies advocated by early Progressives.

 

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Study of the early Progressives shows the reader that the policies advocated today by what Angelo Codevilla aptly describes as the ruling class most often fall within the Progressive horizon. The distinctions between ruling class Republicans and ruling class Democrats are largely based on the differences between the various strands of early Progressive thought. Our political elite is united in rejecting the natural rights principles of the founding and the constitutionalism that flows from those principles.

 

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