A San Francisco social justice warrior has very little in common with a New York City cop. Yet they are both voting Democrat. They both wrap themselves in the flag of 'liberalism' but the social authoritarians who dominate the fringe arm of liberalism - progressives - are actually ruining it, argues The Economist.
Whereas classic liberals want to give people a chance to compete - by eliminating monopolies or creating unions - progressives want to force everyone into economic misery, and the more you make the more you must suffer. 'Justice' must be imposed against whoever becomes the target of the moment. Liberals believe in separation of powers, a tenet of America, whereas progressives want power centralized with them. Anyone who is declared a cultural apostate must achieve their vision of ideological purity or be no-platformed and canceled, which includes allies who they have decided have transgressed. If that reads like The Inquisition, well, yeah.
The article rightly quotes Milton Friedman, who said “society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither” and rightly so. By crippling some in order to favor others, progressives are creating discrimination. Social justice just becomes bigotry and coercion under a fake name.
You should also read this because this critical thinking is a welcome switch from a few weeks ago when they tried to write about science and looked ridiculous declaring chewing gum is plastic - the kind of provocative claim progressives make in every area. Here is hoping the publication learns to see it in science as clearly as they do politics.
