Thank you for linking to this older article. Your critique of Deneen is interesting. You're right that to close the door on replacing or reforming liberalism doesn't make sense. Why are we even discussing the problem at all then?
But given the scope of liberalism's problems, and its powerful entrenchment across public and private spheres, a degree of "neo-tocquevillianism" seems like wisdom does it not? Pre-industrial society isn't coming back but I would argue that until men and women make the changes in their personal lives that bring about smaller forms of community within modern society, and lessen liberalism's hold on them, it will be next to impossible to challenge liberalism successfully. We have to start from a place of strength and individual, community-less people do not have much strength.
Thank you for linking to this older article. Your critique of Deneen is interesting. You're right that to close the door on replacing or reforming liberalism doesn't make sense. Why are we even discussing the problem at all then?
But given the scope of liberalism's problems, and its powerful entrenchment across public and private spheres, a degree of "neo-tocquevillianism" seems like wisdom does it not? Pre-industrial society isn't coming back but I would argue that until men and women make the changes in their personal lives that bring about smaller forms of community within modern society, and lessen liberalism's hold on them, it will be next to impossible to challenge liberalism successfully. We have to start from a place of strength and individual, community-less people do not have much strength.