Characterizing Politics

Scott Sumner has an interesting post in which he nods to the “Nolan Chart”, the two-dimensional diagram aligning political ideologies along two axes, personal freedom and economic freedom. Rather than the implied four quadrants he proposes a sort of six-sided star with the following points:

  1. Idealistic progressives
  2. Pragmatic Libertarians
  3. Dogmatic libertarians
  4. Idealistic conservatives
  5. Corrupt Republicans
  6. Corrupt Democrats

In this context by “corrupt” he means “pandering to interest groups”. He explains his characterizations:

Thus on values the there are three pairings: utilitarian, natural rights, and selfish. On ideology there are three different pairings: Democrat, Republican and libertarian. Let’s apply this political scheme to public policy issues. I would like to argue that most of the really important public policy issues are not even part of the ongoing debate in the press.

I would be more inclined to organize the topic along Aristotelian lines in opposing dyads: partisan vs. non-partisan, individualistic vs. collective, altruistic vs. self-serving, and so on, virtue being represented by the mean and each of the extremes thought of as less benign.

19 comments… add one
  • PD Shaw Link

    If politics is the art of the possible, it makes more sense to have a continuum running from pure ideology to pragmatism to corruption (if I understand corruption to mean entirely devoid of ideology). Then that just begs the question of what the dominant ideological strains are.

  • You have correctly divined that I consider pragmatism as the mean between ideology and corruption.

  • michael reynolds Link

    If you could plot out the pragmatic sweet spot for both left and right we could then draw a line — probably a surprisingly short line, actually — between those two pragmatisms and accomplish something useful. And we’d all be saved. Yay!

  • john personna Link

    I’m probably more “2” in that list, but I prefer “cynical moderate.”

  • Drew Link

    How jp and I could both describe ourselves as #2’s leaves me in need of…………a tranquilizer.

  • steve Link

    @Drew- Remember the Star Trek where people were half white and half Black (or was it blue?)? They really hated each other. Jp is probably more 1 1/2 and you 2 1/2.

    Steve

  • john personna Link

    I am just a pragmatic libertarian who recognizes the flaws in the world. If the market leaves people to bankrupt out on fairly conventional illness, fix it.

    As opposed to a ideologically blinkered libertarian who is only “pragmatic” about the few things he allows himself to see.

    If I may be so bold 😉

  • I’m a pragmatic libertarian until they talk about ending Rent Stabilization laws in NYC. Then I’m a socialist lunatic.

  • michael reynolds Link

    I’ll give myself a 1.5.

    Then I’ll give myself 4 stars for having the maturity to avoid the crude and frankly obnoxious line that came to mind immediately afterward.

    Although in fairness I have to take off a star for alluding to it obliquely.

  • Drew Link

    “As opposed to a ideologically blinkered libertarian who is only “pragmatic” about the few things he allows himself to see.
    If I may be so bold.”

    No, you can’t, because its complete BS.

  • Drew Link

    Michael –

    You’ve changed your picture again. Have you been overexposed to X-Rays?

  • michael reynolds Link

    Drew:

    I was trying to remember where that picture came from. I have the sense that there’s a Macanudo Gold just out of view, but that’s all I remember.

    It does have a certain creepy alien thing going on.

  • john personna Link

    To be absolutely honest, I started as very much a libertarian. Well, not totally a round the bend, not private police forces or anything like that. I just thought that everyone could apply themselves and make their own way. I thought we might not all have the same luck or the same skills, but if you keep trying, you make it.

    What I saw over the course of my life was that some people made it, and some didn’t. Some, when you get right down to it, were not equipped for life in a modern world.

    So what do you do?

    That’s where reality (and compassion, if you’ve got any) meet political philosophy.

    What do you do, Drew? Just pretend the serial failures away, or do you say a life on the curb is good enough?

  • john personna Link

    BTW, I probably should have used Global Warming in the original comment, it is really the best example of self-blinkering.

    You can’t accept it, because it leads to a change in your political philosophy beyond your limits.

  • Drew Link

    “I have the sense that there’s a Macanudo Gold just out of view….”

    I’ve always suspected that beyond your ridiculous, crazy, non-sensical politics………….at heart you a good guy. Now I know….

  • Drew Link

    “That’s where reality (and compassion, if you’ve got any) meet political philosophy. What do you do, Drew? Just pretend the serial failures away, or do you say a life on the curb is good enough?”

    That’s a false, and quite frankly childishly stupid, dichotomy, jp. Of course there is a role for government, in supporting defense, infrastructure and other common societal processes, and in income support for the real needy. I’d have a government that absorbs – in very broad terms – 15% to 20% of GDP. I’d obviously tend toward the smaller number. And I actually have a conceptual, if admittedly crudely approximated, way I get to those numbers. Its an awful lot of money and resources transferred from the private to public sector, jp. And I, at least, think a throttle on the public sector is warranted. (See: Dave’s serial posts on pensions etc.) But where we are headed is way ahead of that. Its out of control by any sane measure.

    So invoking emotionally based “life on the curb” arguments is your typically shallow approach. Maybe you need to go read a book, see what someone else has to say, and regurgitate it to us.

  • michael reynolds Link

    Drew:

    For the record I’ve given up cigars. For the record. They’re bad for you.

    However, a big, fat Macanudo Gold Tudor is a wonderful thing. I don’t think I’ve ever come across one that was blocked, smooth and tasty all the way down to the band. Perfect morning cigar.

  • sam Link

    “Its an awful lot of money and resources transferred from the private to public sector, jp. And I, at least, think a throttle on the public sector is warranted”

    But with Social Security and Medicare, it’s transferred back to the private sector, right?

    Anyway, I’m a pragmatic progressive, though it’s not on the list. Really, more of a pragmatic libertarian-progressive (depending on the issue).

    I do agree with Dave, though, about the superiority of an Aristotelian typology.

  • john personna Link

    Ah, a response I predicted just now before I brought up the page. Many amateur conservative pundits accept a safety net in the abstract, but then just fight it at each practical (pragmatic) turn. They’ll shout liberal at anyone who wants universal health or mass transit.

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