Political, Economic, and Personal Philosophical Convergence?Does political philosophy boil down to economics? Is it a reflection of religious faith? Does it hinge on the “mankind is innately good or evil” philosophy? Politics is certainly influenced by all of these factors, and the practical exercise of governance seldom reflects a single consistent philosophical approach, but there’s one philosophical framework that I think comes closest to capturing the essence of politics. I don’t remember much of anything from a distance-learning sociology class I took ages ago while stationed in Germany, but I liked the concept of “locus of control.” As I recall it, locus of control hinges on whether we see ourselves as controlled, or in control. Do we see ourselves as pawns of the universe, destined by fate, and primarily controlled by forces beyond our control? Or do we believe that we make our own luck, control our own fate by the choices we make, and able to exercise our free will to shape our place in the world? Do we have an external or internal locus of control? The locus of control can be seen contrasted in some religious frameworks; one faith may believe that “the Lord helps those who help themselves,” while another accepts “God’s will” with more passive resignation. Economic systems run the gamut from absolute free market faith in the individual to drive the system by the force of his choices, to communist systems where all resources are managed collectively. Our two party system and our delineations of liberal and conservative generally follow the internal/external divide. The external locus of control can be seen reflected in the liberal Democrat’s reflexive turn to government for solutions to life’s challenges. The internal locus of control is more evident in the entrepreneurial spirit and small government approaches that Republicans profess. However, the widely applied concept of “conservatism” may not clearly fit the internal/external distinction. Many traditional conservatives broadly accept the individual freedoms and laissez faire government consistent with an internal locus of control. But many social conservatives attach substantial merit to destiny and even divine providence. They profess autonomy in their personal internal control and that of like-minded fellows, but look to government to provide control to those whose choices they find objectionable. These “external locus” conservatives look to government to impose their conservative social values. They’ve even proposed constitutional amendments to codify their views. Rather than amendments embodying more freedom, they propose “protections” from offensive expression and committed relationships; prohibitions against flag-burning and gay marriage. Our forefathers strongly demonstrated their respect for self-determination in rejecting the divine right of monarchs. They respected providence, but honored free will. They established fertile ground for individualism and self-determination. They generously established freedoms to nurture the internal locus of control, and hamper those who would impose external controls. In that fertile ground of freedom we see not only one of the most creative and productive societies in history, but we often see non-conformity and perhaps even deviance. To stretch the “fertile ground” analogy; fertile ground not only encourages crops, it fosters all growth – even weeds. We can pull some of the weeds, but we shouldn’t sterilize the soil. Our challenge is to act with integrity; exercising our own locus of control while honoring the similar rights of others, even if they exercise their choices poorly. Social conservatives need to recognize that by banning internet gambling, regulating foul language on TV, or tapping phones without warrants, they are limiting the fertile ground of liberty, not enhancing it. Republican and conservatives need to embrace the internal locus of control and the traditional support for smaller, less intrusive government. Michael Previous: Bat Guano McKinney -- Next: Kill NCLB; Support the 10th Amendment |
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