Saturday, September 09, 2006
(5:00 PM) | Adam Kotsko:
A common misconception
Liberals frequently express a desire to "restore" the place of reasoned persuasion in American political discourse. The result will presumably be better policies, etc.I believe that liberals who talk like this are in error on two points, first in believing that there was some past time when reasoned persuasion ruled the day, and more fundamentally in believing that reasoned persuasion has anything to do with politics in a system of government like that of the US. In actual reality, "political debate," such as it is, exists to mobilize voting blocs who will rally behind a particular faction of the ruling elites.
If political parties did not use propaganda techniques and instead carried on a very high-level intellectual debate, no one would show up to vote, or else only college-educated office workers with lots of time to browse the Internet would show up to vote. That wouldn't necessarily be better than the present situation -- for instance, look at how many prestigious liberal bloggers came up with very nuanced ways of supporting the obviously insane and criminal Iraq War.
The Democratic Party used to be filled to the brim with utterly corrupt powermongers making back-room deals. We need to get back to that.
