Political Science 101

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Stephen McDougal, Ph.D.
Political Science 101
American Political Ideologies
.blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.
(Matt. 116)
.avoid wrangling over words, which does no good
but only ruins those who are listening. (2 Tim.
214)
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Political Science 101
Stephen McDougal, Ph.D.
The Two American Conservatism-s
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A rose by any other name?
Traditional Conservatism Social
Conservatism Cultural Conservatism Religious
Conservatism Conservatives (Janda)
Individualist Conservatism Economic
Conservatism Free Market Conservatism Libertarian
ism (Janda)
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Traditional Conservatism

• The Natural Person

• Completion in Communities

• Communities Values and Ties

• Traditional Values and Ties

• The Good Person is the well-moralized
  person....

• Learning right and wrong ? creating
  Character and Responsibility.

Social Order ? Morality
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Traditional Conservatism

Order ? Morality
Freedom ? Morality

• Freedom distinguished from license

• Good Character

• Responsible Choices

• Limited Role of Law and Government

Equality ? Morality
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Traditional Conservatism
Compensating for Naturally Weak Individuals
Traditional Social Institutions
Family

• Traditional Roles of Mother and Father

• Care, Nurturing, Protection, Role Models

• Authority Socialization to right-wrong good-bad

• Learning the Moral Order of the Community

• Society rests on the Family!

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Traditional Conservatism
Family.
Church

• Continues, Expands, Extends Moral Education

• Addresses Spiritual Needs

• Expresses and Reinforces Community Values

• Established Religion (U.S. versus Europe)

School

• Civic Values

• Cf Secular Public Education

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Traditional Conservatism
Family, Church, School
Charity

• Markets
• Where markets instill character e.g., Home
  Ownership, Small Business, etc.
• Market suppressed where immoral e.g., Sex
  Industry, recreational drugs, etc.

• Government
• Limited fostering/supporting the other
  traditional social institutions
• Cannot replicate other social institutions
• Can harm them with ill-considered programs

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Traditional Conservatism
Good Person

• Responsible Good character
• Trusted With Free Choice

Good Society

• Strong traditional values
• Strong traditional social institutions

Who Should Govern?

• Morally Responsible People
• Character as Campaign Issue

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Traditional Conservatism
Good Government

• Limited Government
• Minimal economic regulation
• Social/Moral regulation in support of
  traditional social values
• Protect good people

• Questions to Compare
• Why am I here in this class?
• Why are you here in this class?
• Why do I drive on the right side of the road?

ORDER gt FREEDOM gt EQUALITY
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Individualistic Conservatism

• Freedom Individual Choice

• Choices and Consequences

• Good Choices and Bad Choices

• Self-Made Man 19th century

• No one to blame but yourself!

• Voluntary Social Relationships

• Self Determination

• No Transcendent Morality

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Individualistic Conservatism
Freedom Voluntary Choice

• The Harm Principle

• The Rule of Law Notice of Harms

Order Free Markets

• Voluntary Exchange Relations

• Perceived Mutual Benefit

• Social Peace without Authority

• The Unseen Hand

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Individualistic Conservatism
Equality Competition in Market

• Opportunity Not Outcome!

• Meritocracy

• Social Status/Influence is Earned

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Individualistic Conservatism
Good Person

• Competitive, but Non-Harmful
• Self-Reliant
• Enlightened Self-Interest

Good Society

• Market Driven
• Fluid, Meritorious
• Not inhibited by Tradition

Who Should Govern?

• Representative, but
• The successful

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Individualistic Conservatism

• Minimal
• Enforcing Contracts
• Articulating Harms (Law)
• Punishing Harms

Good Government

• Questions to Compare
• Why am I here in this class?
• Why are you here in this class?
• Why do I drive on the right side of the road?

FREEDOM gt ORDER gt EQUALITY
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Traditional Conservatism
Individualistic Conservatism
Traditional Morality
Free Enterprise
ORDER
Ethical Choice
Self-Interested Choice
FREEDOM

• Individual Weakness
• Need for Community

Markets Law
EQUALITY