The ideas of the political left are taught, echoed, and amplified in the major cultural institutions of our country. Is it any surprise that our politics is on a long-term path towards the left?
Hollywood pours out movies that paint business owners as evil exploiters who must be restrained by government regulation. Major religious institutions teach that the way to take care of the poor is to start another government program. Big businesses go “green” and enact programs (diversity training, soft quotas) that encourage racial politics. The non-profit industry receives indirect public subsidies via not being subject to taxation, and many key players within it receive major grants from governments (that is, taxpayers). Think they support free markets and free people over government management of the economy and life? And of course there are also public (i.e., government) schools and government-subsidized colleges and universities, which are not exactly hotbeds of conservative thought. (The strongest exceptions, such as Hillsdale College, take no government money. Coincidence?)
In short, conservatives are getting stomped politically because they are getting stomped culturally. The culture-forming institutions lean left; they transmit leftist values; they create leftist ideas for governance. Is it any surprise that government is, long-term, on the march? When people learn every day that the private sector cannot be trusted and that problems can be solved by government, is it any surprise when half the population (if not more) favors an increased role for government?
Conservatives are discouraged right now, and tempted to abandon their work. But they should resist. They should continue to engage in political action, if only to fly their flag in the political arena.
But more importantly, they need to redouble their efforts to build culture-shaping institutions. This will do two important things: Create an an alternative community that offers some space from over-reaching government, and create citizens who can influence the broader culture.
It’s easy, after this election, for conservatives and libertarians to blame the electorate: “Greedy people voted to continue the gravy train.” No doubt, many people do vote for the politician who promises to buy their vote.
But sometimes, the problem isn’t greed as much as it is the fact they haven’t been acquainted with a cogent, rational, compelling case for freedom and against the hubris of politicians and bureaucrats.
I earned a BA from what some people would argue is the best liberal arts college in the state of Michigan. I had two majors. One was in economics. What did I learn? How to derive graphs of supply and demand curves, mostly–stuff that didn’t stick with me, because it wasn’t real. I also picked up a fair amount of Keynesian theory, and four hours (4!) of the work of Nobel-prize winner Milton Friedman. At a time when the Federal Reserve is sending the country toward inflation, we could use some more consideration of his theories on monetary policy.
At least my professors mentioned Friedman, before dismissing him. They said nothing of another Nobel winner, Friedrich von Hayek. Among his contributions to economics is the “knowledge problem.” The idea there is that a population of millions of people is too complex for any group of experts in government to understand or effectively plan for. Our public policies could be greatly improved with a little consideration of this fact.
So if you’re a person who understands and appreciates the superiority of freedom over central planning, consider sending some of your hard-earned cash to groups that educate people on the economic principles that are ignored or ridiculed in government-supported institutions or the broader culture. I hate to single out specific groups, since that means omitting others, but if my words are to be useful at all, I should. So in Michigan, you might wish to start with the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, or the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Outside the Great Lakes State, try the Foundation for Economic Education or the Institute for Humane Studies.
There are others but these are certainly worth your consideration, though freedom fans will need to make a bigger push into the video world. Reading long books (or even blog posts) is a dying art; telling stories in video is in. So check out the Moving Picture Institute. Walden Media’s “Stand and Deliver” movie on education is a good example of the power of media.
Whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Start with an excellent essay by Russ Roberts, who suggests, “So don’t despair. Get to work, instead. And along the way, make lots of time for the joys of life. Don’t let the resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue affect the sweetness of all those roses on whatever road we’re heading down.”
First published by the Michigan View