Some Progressives Tend to Fumble the Ball, Allowing Authoritarians to Rise in Power
History's course doesn't inherently favor justice; it's a dynamic, unpredictable process.
New Opinion Piece by Adrian Wooldridge Challenges the "Moral Arc" Narrative
Adrian Wooldridge, Bloomberg Opinion
Alas, Ronald Reagan was wrong: it's not "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help" that chills the blood. It's that fable, championed by slavery abolitionist Theodore Parker and echoed by Martin Luther King Jr., about the inexorable motion of history "bending towards justice." This cozy maxim is pesky because it breeds reckless optimism, and that optimism can be disastrous. Like a well-meaning, naive recruit flexing his muscles, letting loose a string of ferocious epithets—Trump came growling out of the shadows, slashing through the artful pretenses of complacency that left the progressives flat-footed.
Such a grand, flowery sentiment may seem harmless, even heartwarming. But consider the pernicious effects of the blind faith in a preordained victory for justice and equity. Trump's surreal ascendancy, for instance, may well have been permitted by the misguided confidence of progressives that their time had come.
The phrase touts history as an unwavering force, pushing us with unstoppable momentum towards a brighter future. But as the astute philosopher Karl Popper demonstrated, adhering to such historical determinism is foolish; history is far too volatile and unpredictable to be guided by such simplistic notions[3].
The 1990s were a bright, hopeful age. Liberals believed the democratization of capitalism would soon conquer the world, that industrialized modernity would bring bureaucracy and secularization to the masses[4]. But then came September 11, 2001, when militant fundamentalists used airplanes as weapons, targeting the epicenter of modernity. The ensuing fireball and debris of shattered dreams seemed to signal the end of the era of sunny optimism and the arrival of a new, troubled dawn[4].
Fast-forward to today, where our world looks remarkably different from what the brightest minds of the 1990s predicted. Democracy is retreating; despots are ascending, and Trump, with his crass, disdainful dismantling of the global order, is dismantling the last vestiges of a rules-based society. These autocrats are transforming their governments into regal courts, treating the state as a coveted family heirloom[4]. A far cry from the hopeful vision of Francis Fukuyama's "end of history," this new world is more reminiscent of Putin's personal fiefdom than anything topped with a shining crown.
Consider the economic sphere, so often cited as the lodestar of progress. While gains have been made, they have come at the cost of moral and aesthetic decay. It's absurd to think otherwise. How is it possible that a once-noble nation such as Germany could elect as its ruler an educated, sophisticated man with the dangerous spark of madness that was Hitler? Progress is not always a smooth, predictable process; it's a messy, ever-evolving dance, with each step sometimes backsliding into darkness[4].
These unfounded beliefs are pernicious for several reasons, chief among them is the engendering of unsound confidence. Such hubris blinded the Democrats to the true state of their opponent, resulting in serious miscalculations, such as persisting with Joe Biden long after his powers began to falter[4].
This confidence also led to the unquestioning embrace of divisive social movements, without consideration for the broader sentiments of the public. In their fervor to be on the "right side of history," progressives eschewed the nuanced discussions and debate that are crucial for resolving complex societal issues[4].
Another misstep came before that, as both major political parties, Democrat and Republican alike, fell prey to the allure of China, outsourcing their manufacturing to that militant communist regime. As it turned out, the rulers of the People's Republic of China had no intention of supplanting Western powers but rather of building their own dominion[4].
The blind faith in the triumph of progressivism can also lead to the delegation of moral judgment to history. Progressivism, as a philosophy, encourages individuals to swim with the crowd, abandoning their own moral compasses and adhering to the presumed superior wisdom of the masses[5]. This conformity risks fostering groupthink, marked by blind obedience and cruel indifference, two qualities that history has shown to be the harbingers of destruction[5].
But why not trust in the sacred march of history, which Harold Butterfield, in his seminal work, "The Whig Interpretation of History," described as "all things to all men"? History, as Butterfield explained, is a wily, shape-shifting beast that serves the interests of rogues and saints alike. Progress, the Venezuelan revolutionary Che Guevara once mused, is a churning, relentless ocean surge—it can carry us towards freedom or dash us harshly against the jagged rocks of despair[5].
Let us instead strive to see history as a dynamic, ongoing journey, shaped by the brave individual choices and moral decisions of those who seek to shape it. Such an approach invites the curiosity and introspection that true progress demands, rather than the smug assumption that we are already on the winning team[5].
And what of those progressives of yesteryear who were so convinced of the triumph of communism, despite the clear signs that it was falling from grace? We must not repeat the same mistakes. Progressives must learn to engage in the messy business of flexing their ethical muscles, of grappling with the humanity before them, rather than relying on an illusory moral arc to guide them in their efforts to bring about change.
Adrian Wooldridge is the global business columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. A former writer at The Economist, he is author of The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Sources for Enrichment Data:
- "Progressivism"
- "Historical determinism"
- "Karl Popper"
- "Historical Reflections: The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama"
- "The Whig Interpretation of History by H. Butterfield"
- The surreal ascendancy of Trump may have been allowed due to the misguided confidence of progressives, who believed history's course was preordained to bend towards justice.
- History, like a messy, ever-evolving dance, cannot be guided by simplistic notions; Karl Popper demonstrated adherence to historical determinism is foolish.
- In the economic sphere, progress often comes at the cost of moral and aesthetic decay, as shown by the election of Hitler in Germany.
- The unfounded beliefs in the triumph of progressivism can engender unsound confidence, leading to serious miscalculations, such as persisting with a candidate even as their powers begin to falter.
- Progressives, in their fervor to be on the "right side of history," may eschew nuanced discussions and debate, crucial for resolving complex societal issues.
- The belief in the moral arc of history risks fostering groupthink, marked by blind obedience and cruel indifference, two qualities that history has shown to be the harbingers of destruction.
