Why we should all be liberal: The power of an adjective

[Nevilledog]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/12/liberal-adjective-michael-walzer-struggle-decent-politics/

No paywall
https://archive.is/g6C4r


The word “liberal” is noble and vexed, loved and hated. It is used by different kinds of people to refer to a wide constellation of worldviews, and it is denounced from many ideological directions.
It also happens to be the word most worth fighting for at this moment — as an adjective.

That is the thesis of what I believe will be the year’s most important political book, Michael Walzer’s “The Struggle for a Decent Politics: On ‘Liberal’ as an Adjective,” published last month. Approachably compact, it’s a volume that politicians and activists, students and academics, and citizens representing every creed should read, ponder and argue about.

Lord knows how many books have been written about “liberalism” as an abstract noun referring to philosophies ranging from “classical liberal” laissez-faire libertarianism to New Deal and social democratic approaches to public life. And I’d make the educated guess that there have been thousands of political ads attacking “liberals” for all manner of sins and failures.

After a lifetime of reflection, Walzer, an 87-year-old political philosopher, concludes that “liberal” is more important as a modifier of other substantive commitments than as a stand-alone noun. The word embodies moral sensibilities, values and disciplines that are compatible with a variety of creeds — and essential to making our politics “decent.”

*snip*

[Skittles]

1. liberalism decency

essentially, it is the Golden Rule

which is why repukes hate liberalism

[RockRaven]

2. Did someone say liberal? Matt Santos "liberal" debate speech y'all...

https://m.

[Jim__]

3. Added Walzer's book to my Amazon wish list.

[murielm99]

4. I call myself a proud liberal.

I do not use the term "progressive." The magats have tried to turn the word "liberal" into something negative, so some people have turned cowardly toward the term. I consider the use of "progressive" a retreat. I will not retreat.