Things or Men?

The following quotes are all from Russell Kirk, “Return to Principle in Politics: Conservatives and Liberals Take Thought,” Southwest Review 41 (Spring 1956): 142-152.

“Ever since the Civil War, political thought has languished in the United States. For original political theory almost always is developed out of a time of troubles, when thinking men, forced to examine their first principles, seek means to avert the imminent collapse of order, or to restore some measure of justice and security to a wounded society. The political writings of Plato and Aristotle came out of such an age. So did Cicero’s works, and Dante’s, and Machiavelli’s, and Hooker’s, and Hobbes’s, and Locke’s, and Burke’s, and Marx’s. The nature of the confusion which provokes the exposition of political theory may be the inadequacy of an old order, morally and administratively.” (142)

“No political philosopher of any great stature appeared during the last third of the nineteenth century, and the bulk of what passed for political thought in this country was simply the reflection of various English and German liberal ideas, adapted to the American climate of opinion. There seemed to be no need for reference to first principles; Things were in the saddle, and most men seemed to be satisfied to let Things ride” (142).

“Yet Things galloped on; the New Deal, fortunately perhaps, was the expression of vague humanitarian aspirations and positive grievances, not of any coherent ‘liberal’ or ‘radical’ system of thought. Nor was America’s part in World War II governed by any body of general ideas: caused by the combination of moral indignation with fear of Germany and Japan, American intervention stood bewildered for want of theory when the problems of peace had to be met.” (143)

“Yet there may come a time in the history of nations when the previous security against foreign intervention is destroyed, and when the tradition established usage are so weakened that they cannot stand unaided against the assaults of ideology. Such an era seems to be America’s in the middle of the twentieth century.” (143)

Indebted to Masty

Two quick things, fair TIC readers.

First, Roger Ream has been posting some excellent charts, articles, etc. on what the so-called cuts of the debt deal really mean.  Here's one (click here) that's quite good.  And, here's another great one from our cousins over at Pileus (click here).

Though, how Pileus was able to get Grover Cleveland to rise from the dead to write for them has perplexed me for awhile now.

Second, "Where have you gone, Steve DeMastyO? A readership turns its lonely eyes to you."  How can we be expected to get through a week without our requisite dose of gut-laughter at/with/near/from/over/above Masty's latest post?

"Coo-coo-cuchew, Mr. Masty, Jesus loves you more than you will know."

Yours, respectfully, Brad Birzer

[P.S.  My sincere apologies for the first image I chose to illustrate this.  I had not read what was written on the dollar bill, and I would never--in any way, shape, or form advocate--such a thing.  Completely an accident.  I'll find a better image.]

Why Welfare Can't Be Charity: 1954 Russell Kirk

In this article, “The Trap of Disintegrated Liberalism,” Kirk challenged an argument advanced by an economist, Professor Bruce Knight, who seems to have defended a twentieth-century conception of “Social Justice.”  I have not found Knight’s original piece. 

When writing or speaking of liberal utilitarianism, Kirk frequently used the dismissive term, as Gleaves Whitney first pointed out to me, “defecated rationality.”  By employing only “disintegrated liberalism” in this Faith and Freedom rebuttal, Kirk must have possessed some respect for Knight as being merely mislead by an improper reading of Christian social thought.  He could not have been a full-blown utilitarian, or he would have suffered from “defecated rationality.”

“The Trap of Disintegrated Liberalism,” never reprinted in any form since its 1954 publication, offers us a nice peak into Kirk’s views on the traditional meaning of justice.  In the article, Kirk rather strongly challenged a Christianity that institutionalized charity through the mechanism of the state as neither virtuous for the soul nor for the society as a whole. 

True love, Kirk argued here and elsewhere, comes only from a submission of the will, one person freely giving to another person.  Only slightly less important to Kirk’s overall contention, state-enforced welfare always damaged social stability and the attenuated the long-term endurance of a society. 

Though short lived, Faith and Freedom presented a form of Christian libertarianism in the mid 1950s.  While this is not Kirk’s best expression of a traditional understanding of justice, the article does hit a nice tone, intellectually and stylistically.  It also shows Kirk’s more anti-government side, foreshadowing what Friedrich Hayek would develop more fully in his 1970s trilogy, Law, Liberty, and Legislation.  Kirk even came close to calling some “taxation mere theft.”

With Both Barrels: The Opt Out Edition

Today is special, of course: it’s the Feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of music. It’s also the birthday of a good friend. Happy Birthday, Laura! You are truly an amazing witness to your community.




TSA
As readers of the TIC already know, the TSA is nasty, and it seems to be getting nastier by the moment. Here’s the latest statement from the TSA Head (so-called), John S. Pistole:

We welcome feedback and comments on the screening procedures from the traveling public, and we will work to make them as minimally invasive as possible while still providing the security that the American people want and deserve. We are constantly evaluating and adapting our security measures, and as we have said from the beginning, we are seeking to strike the right balance between privacy and security. In all such security programs, especially those that are applied nation-wide, there is a continual process of refinement and adjustment to ensure that best practices are applied and that feedback and comment from the traveling public is taken into account. This has always been viewed as an evolving program that will be adapted as conditions warrant, and we greatly appreciate the cooperation and understanding of the American people. We cannot forget that less than one year ago a suicide bomber with explosives in his underwear tried to bring down a plane over Detroit. The terrorists allegedly behind the thwarted cargo attempt last month are out there bragging about how they will strike again. We all wish we lived in a world where security procedures at airports weren't necessary but that just isn't the case.

If I remember correctly (and I do), a young Dutch professional stopped the terrorism attempt and the TSA missed it during screening. I trust the Dutch private citizens far more than I trust the TSA to protect my security.

The WASHINGTON POST, "Top Secret America"

The Washington Post is publishing a series of articles this week on the--seemingly out of control--growth of Leviathan.

While the growth began at the beginning of the previous century with the presidency of TR, it skyrocketed at the beginning of this century under Bush II and continues under King B. Hussein Obama. All of this is being done by Republicans and Democrats under the auspices of "national security". . . of course.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/a-hidden-world-growing-beyond-control/

Every patriotic American should read these articles and be very, very afraid.

Thanks to Walter Grinder for sending me the link this morning.