Episode 189 with Joshua Reed Eakle
Does liberalism create inequality, or does it just embrace change? When does economic freedom become institutionalized and entrenched as oppression? Is there room for a left-liberal alliance to defeat Trump? These are the big-ticket questions we’re getting into with Project Liberal’s Joshua Reed Eakle in this week’s debate. Watch below to see who wins!
What is classical liberalism? Hearing “Project Liberal,” you might anticipate something cooked up by the American Democratic Party. But this is different: Joshua is making the case for a political and economic system governed by principles of free trade and competition. As per his own admission, it’s not a system premised on equality. It’s an assumption of the classical liberal worldview that under conditions of economic competition, not everyone will prosper. Rather, those whose skills the market favors will thrive, and those who can’t compete will live in relative want. When Joshua talks about classical liberalism embracing change, he’s pointing to its dynamic responsiveness to the development of technology, wants of the consumer, skills of the workforce, and more. That’s a responsiveness, though, ungoverned by human needs (as opposed to the wants of those with money to spend).
Which is where we find grounds for debate! Supporting a social democratic system — envisioning a political and economic reality where the basic needs of everyone are guaranteed, regardless of their productivity or competitiveness in the capitalist market — means taking issue with competitiveness and constant change as the ideal qualities of our economic system. Social democracy doesn’t demand the wholesale destruction of commerce; it doesn’t mean the eradication of private property. This means that some competition thrives. But the purpose is to create a basic floor of social supports to guarantee a standard quality of life. It’s impossible for the competition valued by classical liberalism to take place when many begin life in challenging conditions, while others are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Making the case for social democracy might actually mean making a better case for economic competition!
You can, of course, hear the whole debate in this exciting Episode 189 of KK&F. Tell us who you think won in the comments! And, of course, tune in tomorrow evening if you want to listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, and other streaming platforms.
