From: Elizaphanian (Elizaphanian@members.v21.co.uk)
Date: Thu Oct 03 2002 - 19:04:54 BST
Hi [Rog?],
Thanks for the positive feedback. Responses to your PSs:
1. the idea that human nature is innately wicked (Fallen) is part of the
tragic vision of human nature which I think IS a part of Conservative
thinking (and is one of the justifications for the balance-of-power approach
on which you've written eloquently yourself). A little while back I
recommended a book to Platt (The vision of the Anointed' by Thomas Sowell)
which has a good section exploring just this topic. I've just bought Steven
Pinker's The Blank Slate, which is also about this. When I've read it, I'll
bring back any relevant comments I can come up with!
2. You need to distinguish between liberalism in a US sense and liberalism
in a UK sense. In the UK liberalism comes down through the JS Mill
philosophical strand, and is concerned with the maximisation of human
freedom (so, logically, a smaller state). In the US sense (as I understand
it) it is closer to socialism and is concerned to establish good conditions
for various disadvantaged groups (so, logically, a larger state). I know
more about the former than the latter; it's broadly the background to both
the UK and US systems as a whole. If I get inspired I might write something
up; I wrote about Conservatism because a) I've been trying to understand it
better myself - partly as a result of your and Platt's posts - and b)
because the discussion didn't seem to be going anywhere. Still doesn't
actually ;-)
Sam
www.elizaphanian.v-2-1.net/home.html
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