The Three Languages of Politics: Talking Across the Political Divides

by Arnold Kling

to truly pass the ideological Turing test, you would have to be aware of other dispositions that differ among progressives, conservatives, and libertarians. I believe that one can discern differences in attitudes toward human nature, history, science, technology, and markets. Progressives believe in human betterment. They see nearly unlimited potential for humans to improve materially and, more important, morally. Conservatives believe in human weakness. In biblical terms, man is “fallen.” The dark side of human nature will never be eradicated. It can be tamed only by social institutions, including the family, religion, and government. Take away those institutions, and what emerges is a situation similar to what is described in William Golding’s 1954 novel, Lord of the Flies. Libertarians believe in human rationality. People pursue ends, and they act as they do for good reasons. Progressives are inclined to revere science. They believe that science can help in the project of human betterment. They put social science on par with physical science, and they embrace social science as a guide to public policy. They believe that they must protect science from conservatives who disdain it. Conservatives are inclined to revere the past, including religious tradition. Conservatives tend to be less optimistic than progressives and libertarians about the future. Conservatives fear that civilization is or will soon be in decline, because of a loss of traditional values. Libertarians a...