It is not just the economic liberalism of the 80s that has hit rough water. So too has the socio-cultural liberalism of the 60s, with its belief in universal rights and the meaninglessness of difference.
That form of liberalism has not been able to withstand the challenge of militant Islamism, with its denial of any universality except its own dogmas. The impact on liberal politics and liberal nation states continues to be immense, visible in Britain in everything from Brexit to the rise in populist movements in Europe. However
liberalism is a Hydra-headed and extremely resilient as its adherents cleave to the supposedly 'higher' ground, they keep popping up with their oh so certain opinions and claims and where did these views originate? in the 'best' Universties
where you would have to wait aeons before you heard an 'illiberal' view.
Here's one liberal defence, when they know the tide is beginning to be against them and their righteous arguments are so much seaweed and jelly fish , they pop up like jack in the boxes, das volk - the people slap them down but they pop up in a tedious way, more often or not aided and abetted by those holding power in the media (we went to that University too). Reality (Brexit) and how people actually feel does nothing to stop their jack in the box ways.
So we should not should not pronounce the death of liberalism prematurely just beause it cannot solve the problems of the age, it does not follow that liberalism is ignoble. 'Liberalism is certainly not inherently bad, but in its idealism it is naive and that is its inherent problem.
That form of liberalism has not been able to withstand the challenge of militant Islamism, with its denial of any universality except its own dogmas. The impact on liberal politics and liberal nation states continues to be immense, visible in Britain in everything from Brexit to the rise in populist movements in Europe. However
liberalism is a Hydra-headed and extremely resilient as its adherents cleave to the supposedly 'higher' ground, they keep popping up with their oh so certain opinions and claims and where did these views originate? in the 'best' Universties
where you would have to wait aeons before you heard an 'illiberal' view.
Here's one liberal defence, when they know the tide is beginning to be against them and their righteous arguments are so much seaweed and jelly fish , they pop up like jack in the boxes, das volk - the people slap them down but they pop up in a tedious way, more often or not aided and abetted by those holding power in the media (we went to that University too). Reality (Brexit) and how people actually feel does nothing to stop their jack in the box ways.
So we should not should not pronounce the death of liberalism prematurely just beause it cannot solve the problems of the age, it does not follow that liberalism is ignoble. 'Liberalism is certainly not inherently bad, but in its idealism it is naive and that is its inherent problem.
It is becoming increasingly evident to see our not as a liberal age but as a post-liberal one. There has been a rumbling discussion about post-liberalism for some years, triggered not least by concerns about the weakening impact of migration on national social democracies.
Brexit is in part a revolt against a set of characteristics of modern liberalism. We have a new political agenda that no political party can afford to ignore. Whether we consider ourselves liberal or not, we increasingly inhabit post-liberal times.
No comments:
Post a Comment