In 1955, Louis Hartz published a famous and deeply influential book called “The Liberal Tradition in America.” In it, he argued that American politics actually functions on an extraordinarily narrow spectrum, that the American left and American right share far more philosophical principles than they would dare admit to their own followers (or to each other).
According to Hartz, American politics is dominated by liberalism, in the philosophical sense. Basically, Hartz maintains, Americans believe that freedom applies to individuals. People should be able to pursue the sort of education they would like to have, own the property they acquire legally, live where they want, and, in some sense, not be told what to do. Government should be basically responsive to its citizens. Put simply, people have rights.
Hartz was probably wrong. I could raise countless quibbles (there’s a long tradition, for instance, of Americans seeking to deny other Americans rights). But even if he’s wrong about politics, his wonderful image of American politicians squabbling over one square inch of real estate on a miles-wide political spectrum is fun nonetheless. And even if he’s overgeneralizing, it’s certain that liberal ideas permeate our society.
Hartz is also useful for thinking about arguments among U.S. members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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