Of course progressives are totalitarians deep-down
All ideologues are:
"That is extremely important in practical politics because on this assumption -- that this respective intellectual's creed is representative of all mankind -- rests, of course, the aggressiveness of all ideological, intellectual, [and] totalitarian movements. That is to say, all ideological, intellectual movements are inherently totalitarian because man is made a function of history and [the ideologies] claim to be valid for everyone. If anybody is benighted enough not to know that he belongs to that particular age of mankind represented by the respective intellectuals, that's just too bad for him. If he resists, he must either be killed or put it into a concentration camp or something like that... he has to submit." -- Eric Voegelin, "The Drama of Humanity"
"That is extremely important in practical politics because on this assumption -- that this respective intellectual's creed is representative of all mankind -- rests, of course, the aggressiveness of all ideological, intellectual, [and] totalitarian movements. That is to say, all ideological, intellectual movements are inherently totalitarian because man is made a function of history and [the ideologies] claim to be valid for everyone. If anybody is benighted enough not to know that he belongs to that particular age of mankind represented by the respective intellectuals, that's just too bad for him. If he resists, he must either be killed or put it into a concentration camp or something like that... he has to submit." -- Eric Voegelin, "The Drama of Humanity"
But then they wouldn't be progressing and would be .. conservatives.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be saying that if someone is not willing to murder or imprison all who resist their ideas, they are a conservative.
DeleteWhich is the truest thing you've said on this blog!
You know what Lord's comments remind me of, Gene? The Gnostic view that everything is split, evenly, between the 'party or ideology of light' and the 'party or ideology of darkness'. History can be cleanly divided between Progress and those who refuse that Progress.
DeleteThe very idea that someone can be just looking for truth, wherever they find it, seems alien to these people.
So they aren't "totalitarian" in the sense of North Korea? And people like Block and Rothbard are totalitarians, too?
ReplyDeleteIn the sense of the passage, "If he resists [the foundational ideas of Block's system ]... he has to submit" yes. It might not be a nominally governmental apparatus that does the compelling, it might be simply a de facto government of protection rackets, or mob action, but Block is really very explicit that in his utopia dissenters are banned or killed. Block may not assert a desire to control as much of life as a communist dictator might, but he certainly demands plenipotentiary power to impose those controls he does desire.
Delete"And people like Block and Rothbard are totalitarians, too?"
DeleteYes! Have you seen Block's desire for "Libertarian Nuremberg Trial," where "statists" are sentenced to death? Or Hoppe's suggestion that it should be illegal can advocate statism?
That reminds of the 2x2 political axis of left-right, authoritarian-libertarian axis.
ReplyDeleteIt is a false representation of reality. There is no libertarian left or libertarian right. There is only an authoritarian left or authoritarian right. All politics is imposition of one preference over another.