Because society (or "the public ") is demonstrably distinct from the sum of its component individuals, behavior that might be good for each individual, may be bad for society as a whole; and conversely, what is "bad " for the individual (e.g., taxes and regulations) may benefit society at large. These fundamental precepts: "good for each, bad for all " and "bad for each, good for all " are of essential importance to the defense of progressivism, and by implication to the refutation of regressivism.
The progressive is not "against " free markets, but rather believes that in the organization and functioning of society and its economy, markets are invaluable servants. But markets can also be cruel masters. Thus, in the formulation of public policy, markets should count for something and even for much, but not for everything. There is a "wisdom " of the marketplace, but that "wisdom " is not omniscient. Adam Smith was right: each individual seeking his own gain might act, "as if by an invisible hand, " to the benefit of all. But as Adam Smith also observed and regressive economists tend to forget, there is a "back of the invisible hand, " whereby self-serving action by each individual can bring ruin upon the whole a warning that was vividly presented by Garrett Hardin in his landmark essay, "The Tragedy of the Commons. " (1968)
The progressives are so much in favor of a market economy that they are determined to protect it from its excesses and from its inborn tendency toward self-destruction. The progressive recognizes that the natural tendency of "free markets " is toward monopoly and cartels, which are, of course, the end of the free market. Thus the progressive endorses anti-trust laws, which means, of course, a rule of law enforced by government.
The progressive also recognizes that market transactions, especially those by large corporations, affect not only the parties of those transactions (the buyers and sellers), but also unconsenting third parties, the "stakeholders; " for example, citizens who reside downwind of and downstream from polluting industries, citizens who are enticed by false advertising to endanger their health, and parents whose childrens ' minds and morals are corrupted by mass media. "Stakeholders " should thus have a voice in these corporate transactions, and the only agency with a legitimate right to represent the stakeholders is their government; hence the justification for regulation of corporations.
The progressive agrees that economic benefits "trickle down " from the investments of the wealthy. But he also insists that the wealth of the privileged few "percolates up " from knowledge and labor of the producers of that wealth the workforce and from the tranquility and social order that issues from a public that is served well by, and freely consents to the rule of, its government. The progressive insists that the workers are most productive and prosperous when they participate, through collective bargaining, in determining the conditions of their employment. The progressive also recognizes that the productivity of that workforce results from public education and from the publicly funded basic research that might otherwise be neglected by private entrepreneurs.
In addition to the libertarian 's defense of government 's function of protecting the rights of "life, liberty and property, " the progressive believes that it is also the function of government "to establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, ... [and] promote the general Welfare." Critics of The Right, who choose to call themselves "conservatives, " should note that these words are quoted directly from the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.
Also, along with the libertarians, the progressive endorses the "like liberty principle " which affirms that each individual is entitled to maximum liberty, consistent with equal liberty for all. Likewise, the "no-harm principle, " expressed in the familiar folk maxim, "my freedom ends where your nose begins. " However, the libertarians fail to come to terms with the full implications of these principles, for their program results in freedom for the privileged few at the cost of the freedom and welfare of the many. To put the matter bluntly, the progressive disagrees with the libertarian, not because the progressive values liberty less, but because he values liberty more.
The progressive insists that certain institutions and resources are the legitimate property, not of private individuals, but of the public at large. These include, first of all, the government itself: the legislature, the executive, and the courts. In addition, the natural environment the atmosphere, the waterways, the oceans, the aquifers, wildlife can not be parceled out, marked by property lines, and sold to the highest bidder. Language, the arts, literature, the sciences, are common heritages which must be protected and nurtured for the common good, and not be used and exploited exclusively for private gain.
Finally, the progressive demands that government belongs to the people, and not exclusively to those interests that can afford to "buy into " access to and influence upon the government. "Governments, " the progressive reminds us, "are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, " and that "whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government. " And if the (self-described) "conservatives " find such sentiments to be treasonous, they should again take note of the source. These words are from the founding document of our republic: The Declaration of Independence.
Accordingly, far from being "traitors, " as Ann Coulter would have us believe, progressives are among the most authentic of patriots.
Copyright 2006 by Ernest Partridge
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