{"id":52,"date":"2022-12-26T13:01:08","date_gmt":"2022-12-26T18:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/?page_id=52"},"modified":"2023-08-24T22:20:14","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T02:20:14","slug":"liberal-democracy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/liberal-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberal Democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"
PART TWO<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Today, we leave the realm of abstraction and look at why a new form of political organization became intelligible, attractive, and possible in the 19th century.\u00a0 After all, why does liberal democracy exist anyway?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

We are lucky. We, or at least most of us, (still) enjoy the blessings of living in a\u00a0Liberal Democratic Nation-State<\/strong>.\u00a0 But how did we get here?\u00a0 And what should we do to maintain our good fortune?\u00a0 Or if we want something else and have a concrete idea of how to implement it, would we want to bring some of liberalism’s nicest traits along with us?\u00a0 I, for one, can see liberalism democracy’s flaws, but I am not confident that we can realistically pick what we like best about liberalism while rejecting what we don’t like.<\/p>\n

This section of our course is about the\u00a0making<\/em>\u00a0of the\u00a0Liberal Democratic Nation-State<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0I use the word\u00a0making<\/em><\/strong> quite deliberately.\u00a0 Everything has a history. You and I do as well; we rise and we fall, we are born and we perish.\u00a0 To understand anything, we must begin with its roots. The roots of Liberal democracy<\/strong> and the invention of the viable institutions to put this idea into practice didn\u2019t come from nowhere.\u00a0 Like you, the advent of liberal-democratic states has concrete origins and an identifiable life story. Each state has a compelling history.<\/p>\n

In the spirt of the video by\u00a0 Steven Jay Gould (which you watched earlier), I shall argue that there was nothing inevitable about the rise of liberal politics, values, institutions, and ideas in the western world.\u00a0 Nor, for that matter, is there anything inevitable about liberal-democracy\u2019s survival.\u00a0\u00a0All things must pass<\/a>.\u00a0 Just ask Roman emperors, medieval princes, Benito Mussolini, and Josef Stalin.<\/p>\n

Once we have worked our way through this historical background, I will provide you with some clues for understanding the turmoil of liberal democratic politics in the US and Europe today.<\/p>\n

While I proceed through the coming lectures, consider what Warren Buffett has to say about the \u201cOvarian Factor\u201d:\u00a0\u00a0READ<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0What does this article have to do with my arguments? Does it apply equally to all Americans?\u00a0 Does it apply to you?<\/p>\n

By the way, did you know that federal funding for prostate cancer research [per years of life lost] is nearly 12 times greater than funding for research on ovarian cancer? See here<\/a>. How would Buffett explain the disparity?<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Lecture: Monday, January 30\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reflections on the advent of a social, political, and economic culture that was hostile to liberalism, but had everything to do with the rise of Liberalism.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Premise<\/em>:\u00a0 Major events in Europe between the fifth and nineteenth centuries\u20131) the fall of the Roman empire, 2) the birth of feudalism, and 3) the contribution of Protestant ideas to the Industrial Revolution\u2013eventually made the institution of Modern Liberalism<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0possible, although definitely not inevitable.<\/p>\n

\"\"Assignment<\/em>: \u00a0Print and read<\/strong><\/em> the following chapter (Chapter 5) by Max Weber, one of the most influential, early social scientists and a pioneer of the theory of \u201cunintended consequences.\u201d \u00a0As you reflect upon the essay by the\u00a0Catholic<\/em>\u00a0priest, Martin Luther\u2013Luther was\u00a0definitely\u00a0not<\/em> a Protestant!\u2013keep Weber\u2019s theory of political and social change in mind.<\/p>\n

We can never understand our culture, or ourselves as individuals, without recognizing that those of us who grew up in North America were all raised as \u201cProtestants.\u201d Yes, this is true even of those Americans who self-identify as Catholics, and for that matter, even as atheists.\u00a0 To make sense of this statement, the key point is to understand what I mean by the concept of \u201cProtestant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Max Weber,\u00a0The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism<\/em>,\u00a0only chapter 5: \u00a0PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

I am asking you to read this chapter for two reasons. First, I am interested in having you identify the substance of his argument. Second, I would like to encourage you to develop your skill in reading a dense piece of scholarship and distilling the primary features of an argument.\u00a0 There is lots of information here that you–and I–don’t know.\u00a0 That’s understandable.\u00a0 Concentrate on identifying the argument.<\/p>\n

Background<\/em>: Martin Luther, \u201cThe Freedom of a Christian\u201d\u00a0SKIM<\/a>\u00a0 This is a long essay by an angry Catholic priest.\u00a0 Just concentrate on the tone of his argument by glancing through it.\u00a0 Note how skillfully Luther praises the Pope while attacking everyone around him and all of the church’s policies.<\/p>\n

Alec Ryrie, Foreign Policy<\/em>, May 23, 2017.\u00a0 READ<\/a>\u00a0 A good description of Luther, the person. I like this phrase:\u00a0 “And yet, if Luther\u2019s and Trump\u2019s respective dramas are strikingly familiar, it is because they are both about how long-standing political establishments fail to cope with disruptive outsiders, often hastening their own moments of reckoning.”<\/p>\n

6. LECTURE<\/strong>: Wednesday, <\/strong>February 1:<\/em><\/p>\n

NO CLASS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regrettably, I will be unable to hold office hours this week.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0<\/strong> DISCUSSION SECTION: Friday, February 3<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Discussion theme:<\/em>\u00a0 Your discussion today will be focus on my argument about Protestantism and your own engrained attitudes about the following idea: \u00a0 \u201c<\/em>America\u2019s culture of radical individualism means that we are all Protestants?\u201d\u00a0 Please keep these questions in mind:\u00a0 1) If McAdams is right, what does he mean by suggesting that even American Catholics are \u201cProtestants\u201d? For that matter why are even atheists Protestants?; 2)\u00a0 Is the culture of radical individualism that grew out of Protestantism and is epitomized by archetypical American heroes, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger (see Pumping Iron<\/a>) and Eminem (see\u00a0Eight Mile<\/a>), a good thing?\u00a0 How Could\u00a0 Buffett\u2019s argument the \u201cOvarian Lottery<\/a>\u201c complicate our expectations of American heroes?<\/p>\n

In particular, how might Weber\u2019s theory, McAdams\u2019 claims, and your other readings about US history help us to account for our country\u2019s disastrously poor response to the Coronavirus?<\/p>\n

Robin Nelson, “How a Virus Exposed the Myth of Rugged Individualism” READ<\/a><\/p>\n

Paragraph assignment:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

“Catholic Notre Dame has no chance of successfully combating the consequences of America’s protestantized culture of ‘rugged individualism.'”<\/p>\n

Imagine there is an outbreak of a new, even more dangerous variant of COVID at Notre Dame in the coming months.\u00a0 In this case, will this pessimistic statement about Catholic Notre Dame\u2019s future hold true?<\/p>\n

See this link for statistics for Notre Dame’s COVID cases between Fall 2020 and Spring 2022 on the Dashboard HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Look at all five semesters to get a sense for our record over this period.<\/p>\n

Feel free to read and ask around to find out how ND did with controlling COVID cases on campus.\u00a0 Especially for those of you who arrived last fall, there was certainly a large amount of controversy along the way.\u00a0 And students were unhappy with the university for very different reasons.\u00a0 Some thought the university didn’t do enough. Some thought it did too much.\u00a0 And, they kept switching sides!<\/p>\n

I was surprised to learn that we stopped using the COVID Dashboard last fall. Students, faculty and staff are still getting COVID. And it’s as contagious as ever.<\/p>\n

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8.\u00a0 CLASS VISIT: Monday, February 6:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We will<\/strong>\u00a0have a class visit with one of Notre Dame’s most distinguished graduates, Carlos Lozada<\/a>\u00a0(\u201993)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carlos Lozada has recently joined the New York Times\u00a0<\/em>as an opinion columnist.\u00a0 He was previously the non-fiction book critic at the\u00a0Washington Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Carlos was awarded the\u00a0Pulitzer Prize for Criticism<\/a> in 2019 and was also finalist for the award in 2018. He has also received the received the 2015 National Book Critics Circle<\/a>\u00a0Citation for Excellence in Reviewing.<\/p>\n

In preperation for Carlos’s visit, please think about these two topics:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0We have been reading about Mill’s ideal conception of the conditions for public discourse in a liberal democracy.\u00a0 Why are these classically liberal attitudes so difficult to apply and sustain, especially in today’s polarized America?<\/li>\n
  2. Without a free press, it is impossible to sustain liberal democracy. How and in what way are journalists obliged to live up to this democracy-sustaining responsibility?\u00a0 How can we tell when they fail to do so?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Required Readings:<\/p>\n

    Leonard Downey, “Newsrooms that move beyond objectivity can build trust:\u00a0 PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Carlos Lozada, “The Inside Joke that Became Trump’s Big Lie”\u00a0 PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Recommended:<\/p>\n

    Carlos Lozada,\u00a0 “How to Strangle Democracy While Pretending to Engage in It<\/a>” READ<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Carlos Lozada,\u00a0“Authoritarianism is Surging<\/a>”\u00a0 READ<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Carlos Lozada, “This is what happened when authorities put Donald Trump under a microscope”\u00a0 READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    29. LECTURE:\u00a0 Wednesday, February 8.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    I will talk about a meteoric development that shaped the character of Liberalism<\/strong>\u00a0as we know it today: \u00a0the opening of the boundaries of the political realm to the participation of ever broader sectors of society<\/em>.\u00a0 Importantly, this development took place in different ways and in different countries. \u00a0It is still taking place around the world today, even in the United States.<\/p>\n

    Today\u2019s Premise<\/em>: The tumultuous intrusion of the \u201cunwashed and unwanted\u201d into the\u00a0Liberal<\/em><\/strong> arena was unanticipated and, paradoxically, not welcomed by those elites whose decisions made it possible. In fact, if they knew it was coming, many elites would have done everything they could to prevent the \u201cunwashed\u201d from joining their circles.\u00a0 Yet here’s the paradox: Only they had the power to make this unwanted development possible. \u00a0How do we account for this unforeseen and unforeseeable transformation? Since people in power do not intentionally make decisions that will undermine their interests, I shall argue that a hostile idea, such as Liberalism<\/em><\/strong>, could only have arisen as the\u00a0unintended consequences<\/em>\u00a0of the decisions of power holders.\u00a0 Weber agrees.<\/p>\n

    For one interpretation of the theory of unintended consequences, watch this instructive video:\u00a0HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

    \u201cIn a democracy it\u2019s your vote that counts. In feudalism, it\u2019s your count that votes!\u201d (McAdams)<\/p>\n

    Required reading:<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Roger Kingdon,\u00a0America\u00a0the Unusual<\/em>, Chapter 4.<\/p>\n

    I prefer that you buy the book, but if you use this link<\/a>, you must print it and have it available for relevant discussion sections.<\/p>\n

    Optional, but highly recommended<\/em> readings:<\/em><\/p>\n

    Kingdon emphasizes the importance of the different paths taken by states that eventually became liberal democracies. The ideas behind the American Revolution and the French Revolution are examples of the consequences of these different paths, although each resulted in liberal democratic institutions. How are these differences reflected in the two founding declarations below? Look closely at what the French Declaration suggests about the role of the state. Also see what it says about the obligations of citizens (a subject that doesn’t show up in the American declaration):<\/p>\n

    The American \u201cDeclaration of Independence\u201d\u00a0PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    The French National Assembly, \u201cDeclaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen\u201d\u00a0PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    10. Discussion<\/em> Section:<\/strong>\u00a0 Friday, February 10<\/em><\/p>\n

    Theme:\u00a0 <\/em>Continuing our discussion of the implications America’s protestantized culture, let us enter dangerous territory. The US has some of the most lenient–and possibly the most lenient-gun-control policies of all advanced democracies.\u00a0 And any time the issue of gun-control arises, one can expect the eruption of violent emotions.\u00a0 For this reason, if we want\u00a0 to understand the US’s particular form of liberal democracy, we should ask why American citizens are so passionate in defending their respective views on this issue.<\/p>\n

    Required Readings:<\/p>\n

    Francisco Cantu, \u201cOur gun myths have held America hostage for too long\u201d\u00a0PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Ron Blitzer, “Supreme Court gun decision shoots down NY rule that set high bar for concealed carry licenses” Fox News, June 23, 2022\u00a0 READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Clarence Thomas, author of the majority opinion, U. S. Supreme Court, June 23, 2022, regarding \u201cNEW YORK STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC., ET AL. v. BRUEN, SUPERINTENDENT OF NEW YORK STATE POLICE, ET AL:<\/p>\n

    Thomas:\u00a0 \u201cNew York\u2019s proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in public for self-defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Paragraph assignment<\/i>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Imagine that you are on a college debate team (or ND’s incredible mock trial team, which all of you should consider joining). You have been given an issue on which there are two clearly opposing sides. You have been selected to defend the side that you do\u00a0not<\/u>\u00a0believe in; in fact, one to which you may be vehemently opposed.<\/p>\n

    Your prompt is<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0On balance, it’s better for Americans to have fewer and more relaxed gun control laws than to have strict and restrictive ones.<\/i><\/p>\n

    Write a paragraph in which you\u00a0disagree<\/u>\u00a0with your personal views on this question.\u00a0 You should begin your paragraph by stating the benefits and costs of the two positions. Then, you should defend your stand (again, the one with which you don’t typically agree).\u00a0 You should state explicitly\u00a0why<\/u>\u00a0one argument is superior to the other.<\/p>\n

    Note: you should not reduce your position to simply citing one or another amendment to the US Constitution (e.g., the 2nd or 14th Amendments). These amendments can be interpreted in different ways.<\/p>\n

    The purpose of this paragraph assignment is to expose you to the challenge of making strong and persuasive arguments. The most persuasive arguments in any situation in life are those that anticipate and respond to the other side’s position.<\/p>\n

    In this case, you only have one paragraph.\u00a0 For this reason, we recommend that you write your paragraph as if it is the introduction to a hypothetical, longer essay.<\/p>\n

    11. LECTURE: Monday, February 13<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Reflections on the evolution of\u00a0Political Parties<\/strong>\u00a0in the West: Cadre parties, Mass parties, and Catch-all parties<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Today\u2019s Assumption<\/em>:\u00a0\u00a0Political Parties\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>have been major instruments for including disparate groups of people in the\u00a0modern nation-state, both in\u00a0Liberal<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0societies and, as we shall see later, other types of societies.\u00a0 Today, the catch-all party is the predominant type of party in the\u00a0Liberal<\/em><\/strong> world.\u00a0 However, the principles behind\u00a0 catch-all politics have become more fragile.\u00a0 The era of catch-all politics has come to an end in post-communist Russia. It is in peril in places like Hungary and Georgia.\u00a0 More interesting, however, is the fact that catch-all politics is under increasing threat in advanced democracies in Europe and the US. One of the prime drivers of these developments is the appeal of populist politicians.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Assignment<\/em>:\u00a0 Reflect upon the role of catch-all parties in our era of intense polarization.\u00a0 If election to office is dependent on the financial contributions of special interests and the manipulation of voting districts and access to the voting booth, what is the reward for politicians, on both the Left and the Right, to engage in compromise? And what is to prevent them from introducing even more restrictive policies?<\/span><\/p>\n

    If the idea of the catch-all party should fail, what type of party will replace it? Or without such parties, will liberal democracy simply fade away?<\/p>\n

    Readings:<\/p>\n

    Roger Kingdon, \u00a0America\u00a0the Unusual<\/em>, chapter 2<\/p>\n

    Michael Kazen, \u201cHow can Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders both be \u2018populist\u2019?\u201d \u00a0READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Cas Mudde and Cristobal Kaltwasser,\u00a0Populism<\/em>, Chapters 1 and 5<\/p>\n

    Could the Covid pandemic contribute to populist politics? If not Covid, what other events might fuel a “pandemic” of populist politics?<\/p>\n

    John Lichfield, \u201cThe next epidemic:\u00a0 Resurgent Populism,\u201d April 6, 2020,\u00a0POLITICO<\/em>:\u00a0\u00a0READ<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n

    Is there a solution to the polarization that populism generates in liberal democracies.<\/p>\n

    Regardless of her party affiliation, this woman may have the answer:\u00a0 “A New Voice for Winning Back Democratic Voters,”\u00a0 READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    12. LECTURE: Wednesday, February 15<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Today, I will lecture about one of the two most important challenges to liberal democracy in the twentieth century:\u00a0Fascism.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> The other major challenger, to which I will turn in a couple weeks, was Leninism<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    To get a feel for the ideas and appeal of Fascism<\/em><\/strong>, read Benito Mussolini\u2019s prognostications on a modern alternative to\u00a0liberal democracy<\/strong><\/em>. Then, reflect upon the significance of the rise of extremist<\/em> Right-wing movements in Europe and the US. Could Fascism<\/em><\/strong> be lurking in our future?\u00a0 Or is this a misleading analogy?<\/p>\n

    Major Reading<\/em>: Benito Mussolini, \u201cThe Doctrine of Fascism\u201d \u00a0PRINT AND READ<\/a>\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry about all the details–I don’t know all of them either–just concentrate on distilling the major features of his argument. Just as important, ask yourself why his vision was so appealing to millions of people. Indeed, why might aspects of this way of looking at politics and society even be appealing today.<\/p>\n

    Question<\/em>: Is there good or bad news looming on the contemporary horizon?<\/p>\n

    Lukas Hermsmeier, “Germany has a problem” PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s a debate over a possible resurgence of fascism:<\/p>\n

    Timothy Snyder is worried (Guardian<\/em>, October 30, 2018)\u00a0\u00a0PRINT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Thomas Meaney is not as worried (New Statesman<\/em>, September 12, 2018)\u00a0\u00a0PRNT AND READ<\/a><\/p>\n

    Who is right? Snyder or Meaney?<\/p>\n

    Optional and fascinating:<\/em><\/p>\n

    If you like, read about the controversy surrounding Tucker Carlson\u2019s one-hour interview of Curtis Yarvin (a.k.a. \u201cMencius Moldbug\u201d) whom conservative columnist, Andrew Sullivan, has called an advocate of “twentieth-century fascism<\/a>.” For the controversy over Carlson\u2019s interview, see here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    For Carlson\u2019s entire interview, see\u00a0HERE <\/a>\u00a0Based on what you find here and in your own research, do you think Carlson should have given Yarvin a platform to express his views, even if Yarvin seems to be on fairly good behavior?\u00a0 What would Frank Zappa say?<\/p>\n

    Again, we return to the value of free speech in a liberal democracy.\u00a0 One can argue both for and against.<\/p>\n

    13. DISCUSSION SECTION:\u00a0 Friday, February 17<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Discussion Topic: Are liberal\u00a0\"\"democratic institutions in the United States and Europe strong enough to survive the rise of populist extremism? Indeed, now that you have read Mussolini, could the US and other advanced democracies be on the verge of embracing something similar to Fascism<\/strong>?<\/em><\/p>\n

    For today\u2019s section and future lectures, read the chapters below<\/span>.<\/p>\n

    Cas<\/em> Mudde and Cristobal Kaltwasser,\u00a0Populism<\/em>, chapters 3 and 4.<\/p>\n

    Paragraph assignment<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Based upon your reading of Mussolini, whose argument about the potential threat of fascism do you find most<\/span> persuasive, Snyder’s or Meaney’s?<\/p>\n

    Note<\/strong><\/em>: Your response to this question should take the form of an introductory paragraph to a longer, hypothetical essay.<\/p>\n

    I have two goals in making this assignment:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. I want you to think about the possibility that radical forms of \u201cpopulism\u201d might lead to the end of \u201cliberal democracy.\u201d<\/li>\n
    2. And I want to challenge you to write a great\u00a0<\/em>introductory paragraph.\u00a0 Introductory paragraphs should typically do the following things: 1) state the issue; 2) state both your your argument and the argument that is likely to be raised against you; and, 3) provide the reader with a sense of how you will proceed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      I am asking you to write this introductory paragraph to help you prepare for writing your first essay.\u00a0 As you write it, you should imagine what the content and structure of this hypothetical essay would look like.\u00a0 Writing a great introduction takes time, patience, and lots of practice.<\/p>\n

      One of my major goals in our course is to teach you how to persuade. Regardless of your field of study, if you know how to make persuasieve arguments when you leave Notre Dame, you will have an enormous advantage over people who do not have this skill (perhaps most people).\u00a0 I want Notre Dame students to become persuasive leaders.\"\"<\/p>\n

      14<\/strong>. LECTURE<\/strong>: Monday, Februry 20<\/em><\/p>\n

      To one degree or another, all liberal democratic<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0states are\u00a0Welfare States<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      Nevertheless, keep this in mind<\/em>:\u00a0 Because we live in a liberal-democratic polity, we naturally assume that the\u00a0Liberal\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>idea will be instantly appealing to all people. Liberalism<\/em><\/strong>\u2018s victory over\u00a0Fascism<\/em><\/strong> more than a half-century ago was far from certain.\u00a0 Without the West’s total victory in World War II, as well as the enormous sacrifices of the Soviet Union, fascism<\/strong> could have remained a powerful force in European politics, especially in Germany. Fortunately for us, Liberal Democracy<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0won.\u00a0 Yet its triumph was facilitated by the convenient conjunction of two factors:\u00a0 the Allied powers\u2019 (sometimes slight) military advantage and, as I shall suggest today the West\u2019s acceptance of the idea of the\u00a0Liberal Welfare State<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

      During Barak Obama\u2019s and Donald Trump\u2019s presidencies and the presidential campaign of 2020, critics frequently equated support for the policies of the\u00a0Liberal Welfare State<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0Socialism.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Indeed, the rise of populist politicians on the Left, like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, provided critics with the opportunity to warn about the threat of radical socialism.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>However, the equation of all forms of\u00a0socialism<\/em><\/strong> would be inaccurate and downright ahistorical. Sanders and AOC are certainly not National socialists<\/em>, and as I know from conducting research and living in communist East Germany, they have nothing in common with the extreme forms of socialism, such as communism.\u00a0 They call themselves \u201cdemocratic socialists,\u201d a stronger-state version of liberal democracy that is virtually identical to the current policies of Social Democratic and labor parties throughout Europe.\u00a0 The point is simply that there are different forms of liberal-democratic welfare states.<\/p>\n

      Assignments<\/em>:<\/p>\n

      On the subject of the\u00a0Welfare State<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0read:<\/p>\n

      Kingdon:\u00a0America\u00a0the Unusual<\/em>, Chapter 1 and Chapter 3<\/p>\n

      I prefer that you buy the book, but if you use this link<\/a>, you must print all of the relevant chapters available for this discussion section and those to come.<\/p>\n

      Pew Foundation: \u00a0\u201cFive Ways in which Americans and Europeans are Different\u201d\u00a0READ<\/a><\/p>\n

      Comparative policies on public funding for maternity leave and child care and early childhood education:\u00a0READ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

      And, \u201cGoing Dutch\u201d\u00a0READ<\/a>.\u00a0 One person\u2019s account of the Welfare State in action.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t think this is accurate, visit Holland or any other European country and find out if it is true.\u00a0 It\u2019s that simple. I have spent a good amount of my life in Germany, and I have consistently been amazed at the benefits of a social-democratic welfare state.<\/p>\n

      Optional<\/em>:\u00a0 For a more detailed analysis of welfare states and their respective policies see \u201cComparing Welfare States.\u201d \u00a0HERE<\/a>\u00a0 This useful page will give you a sense for the diverse types of liberal welfare states and their diverse paths.<\/p>\n

      Of course, even if Americans were to vote to implement a2 European welfare-state model, we must ask whether it would be possible.\u00a0 In line with out discussion about path dependency, how might our particular path to the nation-state make this impossible?<\/p>\n

      Your First Essay Assignment<\/strong><\/h5>\n
      15. LECTURE<\/strong>:\u00a0 Wednesday, February 22<\/em><\/h5>\n

      Reflections on the inherently contradictory and conflict-ridden characteristics of\u00a0Liberalism<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

      Today\u2019s Assumption<\/em>:\u00a0Liberalism<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 can\u2019t live up to its name\u00a0unless it has certain\u00a0essential<\/em>\u00a0features. I have already outlined four characteristics. \u00a0Yet by nature,\u00a0Liberalism<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 is unstable.\u00a0The\u00a0Liberal-democratic<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0character of our government today is not necessarily the same as it will be tomorrow; it is certainly not the same as it was yesterday (especially in the current political climate!).\u00a0 Still, this capacity for change can be a very good thing.\u00a0 Indeed, if such\u00a0Liberal-democratic<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0bastions as Iceland, Monaco, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Andorra, and the U.S. didn\u2019t change over time, they wouldn\u2019t be\u00a0Liberal<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 at all.<\/p>\n

      Liberal democracy<\/strong>\u00a0is not only inherently conflictual. Regrettably, the features that make this political identity great can also be the source of its unraveling. \u00a0In certain circumstances, good causes can be transformed into ugly sources of unrest and instability.\u00a0 We can see this in the U.S. and Europe today.<\/p>\n

      Reading assignments<\/em>:<\/p>\n

      America is one darn complicated country<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Suzy Hansen, \u201cUnlearning the Myth of American Innocence\u201d\u00a0\u00a0READ<\/a>\u00a0 As you read this article, ask yourself what implications it has for our long engagement in Afghanistan and then our hasty retreat.<\/p>\n

      This article is also a good example of why you MUST: 1) master another language than your own while you are at ND; and 2) take advantage of ND’s study-abroad programs and experience what it’s like to be confronted with another culture and have no choice but to adapt to other ways of looking at the world.\u00a0 In general, Americans don’t travel abroad. Or, even when they do, they visit famous cultural sites with which they are already comfortable.\u00a0 This is why the US’s engagements (and wars) with other countries are frequently disastrously uninformed. The goal of our best study-abroad programs is to jettison you beyond your comfort level and then compel you to become personally transformed by the experience.<\/p>\n

      The Good\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Kingdon,\u00a0\u00a0America\u00a0the Unusual<\/em>, ch. 5<\/p>\n

      I strongly prefer that you buy a hard copy of the book, but if you use this link<\/a>, you must print the chapters and have them available for relevant discussion sections.<\/p>\n

      What does Notre Dame have to do with the ongoing project of building liberal democracy? \u00a0Read about Notre Dame students battling the Ku Klux Klan: \u00a0READ<\/a><\/p>\n

      \u2026the Bad, and the Ugly<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Optional reading<\/em> (but incredibly interesting):\u00a0 Richard Fausset, \u201cA Voice of Hate in America\u201d: HERE<\/a>\u00a0 This author of this article was widely criticized for supposedly humanizing fascism and extremism. It’s worth reading all the way through since it will give you a good sense for the psychology of an extremist. Do you think the criticism of the article is fair?<\/p>\n

      Consider this<\/em>:\u00a0\u00a0Under what circumstances would you\u00a0resort to\u00a0violence<\/em>\u00a0to protect\u00a0Liberal Democracy?\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Or do you think the preservation of\u00a0Liberal Democracy<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0isn\u2019t worth the risk of violence?\u00a0 If so, why?<\/p>\n

      16<\/strong>. Discussion Section<\/strong>:\u00a0 Friday, February 24<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

      Since you are writing your essays this week, we have decided, in an act of noble beneficence, not to hold discussion sections.\u00a0 Additionally, there will be no paragraph assignment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      PART TWO Today, we leave the realm of abstraction and look at why a new form of political organization became intelligible, attractive, and possible in the 19th century.\u00a0 After all, why does liberal democracy exist anyway? We are lucky. We, or at least most of us, (still) enjoy the blessings of living in a\u00a0Liberal Democratic … Continue reading “Liberal Democracy”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-52","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52"}],"version-history":[{"count":89,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1213,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52\/revisions\/1213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/world-politics-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}