After a long discussion with a close 'progressive' friend, discussing among other things philosophy, microfinance, and altruism, the thought came me that liberalism(aka progressive) is really the oldest of ideas. Consider the majority of forms of government you have studied in history. More than like the vast majority were some form of Monarchy or in Greece a Tyrant. Going further back to tribes and clans there were elders and chiefs. These almost universally were men who had earned honor in battle. Thus the rulers were based on a 'merit' or sorts, the most efficiently violent. As power began to consolidate in regions these chiefs defeated other tribes and became more like Kings, Khans, Tyrants, Tsars(Czars for the government school educated), etc. The claim to power changed from most being the most efficiently violent, to most capable of managing a geographic area and those inside the 'kingdom'. But, the most efficiently violent also wanted to take care of their progeny so they began to appeal to the "right of kings". In essence claiming that they were ordained by God as the best suited to rule, and that their children carried this blessing forward after their demise. In other words, they were better equipped to make the decisions concerning the kingdom, such as trade, taxes, wages, and law, than their subjects. Today we would call this 'elitism'; 'a practice of or rule belief in rule by an elite' or the few. Now look think about a progressive's philosophy. The first things that will pop into mind are things like 'equality', 'fairness', and 'stability'. These are all very noble goals, but how does a progressive propose to accomplish these goals? Simple, through government regulations, taxation, and law. This requires leaders willing to create laws that restrict the freedoms of some and give rights to others. IMPORTANT: To believe you have the right to take freedoms from someone you must assume that you either know what is best for that individual, or that it is YOUR right to decide what rights others have. This is by definition elitism. If the rule by a few, who are willing to give and take other rights/freedoms, is elitism, how is it different from a king or a tyrant? THE TAKE AWAY: Simply stated, liberalism/progressive is just the rehashing of the oldest of ideas. The idea that the peasants, the untouchable masses, the working class, the poor, are not capable of determining what is in their best interest. Much less of improving their own lives, they must be guided by the elite. By comparison this makes American Constitutional Conservative thought to be one of the most new and radical ideas in history. The idea of self-governance, that men and women can decide what is best for them, that they can rule themselves is remarkable compared to history. Keep that in mind next time you have to argue with a progressive. Don't let them hang on to that false moniker, they are far from progressive, they are the most philosophically backward of all ideologies.
