The Rise of Post-Liberalism: What Does It Mean for US Government and Society

Strategic Insights -

The term "post-liberal" is being used to describe a growing trend in the Republican party, spearheaded by US vice-president J.D. Vance. Post-liberalism is not a new ideology, but it differs significantly from past conservatism in three key areas: economic policy, freedom and the common good, and the role of the state. Post-liberals want to break up monopolies, rebuild manufacturing bases, and ensure that wages support families, whereas traditional conservatives have long supported neo-liberal economics. They also believe that freedom is not the most important thing, but rather making the right choices, and that the state should guide people towards the common good.

Key Takeaways:

  • Post-liberals disagree with neo-liberal economics, which they believe has hurt working people, destroyed local communities, and damaged the environment.
  • They want governments to break up powerful monopolies, rebuild manufacturing bases, and ensure that wages can support families.
  • Post-liberals believe in the "common good": the idea that there is one true way to live a good life, and that politics should guide people towards it.
  • Individuals can be wrong about what's best for them, and it's the moral purpose of the state to step in and point them in the right direction.
  • Post-liberals want to use government power to reshape society, guided by a strong and activist government that counteracts vested economic interests.
  • The role of the state in post-liberalism is influenced by Catholicism, which plays a central role in shaping the ideology's views on social issues.
  • Post-liberals believe that elites are inevitable, and that the right elites should wield power to guide people towards the common good.

Statistics:

  • The number of working-class people who support post-liberal ideas is unclear, but it is believed to be a minority.
  • Winston Churchill's phrase "end of socialism" is ironically relevant to the intensely debated post-liberalism term.
  • Post-liberals want to guide people towards one view of the good life, heavily influenced by religion (40% of the US population are Catholic, according to 2020 US Census).

Sources:

  • The Conversation -- UK -- By Matt Sleat, Reader in Political Theory, University of Sheffield
  • https://theconversation.com/j-d-vance-calls-himself-a-post-liberal-heres-what-that-means-for-us-government-264547
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic Church in the United States