The End of the Liberal Tradition?
by Mark MovsesianA new paper suggests young Americans are giving up on democracy. When we discard our traditions, we can fall for many things, including, apparently, authoritarianism. Continue Reading »
Is God Still Dead?
by The Editors The First Things Podcast, Episode 5. Also featuring: Book talk with Rusty Reno and “Stump the Editors.”
The Tempering of Democracy
by David T. KoyzisMight we do well to admit, not that democracy is a bad thing, but that too much democracy can harm a country's constitution? Continue Reading »
The End of Democracy?
by David T. KoyzisSocial media tend to magnify the expansive self, encouraging participants to stake out a virtual identity within the ethereal territory of the world wide web: “This is who I am, like it or not!” “My political beliefs are part of my identity; to call them into question is to call my very identity into question.” Continue Reading »
What We've Been Reading—2.26.16
by EditorsNot enough has been said about how Pope Francis—a man of strong intuitions and vivid language—lives in and has been formed by literature. He regularly cites and recommends imaginative works like José Hernández’s Martín Fierro, Robert Hugh Benson’s Lord of the World, and Alessandro Manzoni’s The Betrothed. And he thinks by their patterns. Whereas Benedict strove for a concise, clear scholarly expression, Francis seeks the striking images and strong characterizations of the storyteller. Over here are the good guys, over there the bad. Continue Reading »
Forgetting Social Justice
by Elliot MilcoLast week at First Things we were very happy to host Michael Novak and Paul Adams as they discussed their new book on social justice. One of the themes Novak and Adams touched on in their presentations was how poorly Americans today seem to understand the concept of social justice. On both left and . . . . Continue Reading »
Shortcircuiting Consensus
by David T. KoyzisA political system, along with such supportive traditions as the rule of law and loyal opposition, is supposed to be a durable fixture on the political landscape and ought not to be changed lightly. It should be amended only when a favorable consensus can be achieved, and if that consensus is not forthcoming, then the constitution remains as it is. Continue Reading »
The Future of Democratic Capitalism
by Michael NovakIn the eighteenth century, a host of thinkers began to use the compound term “political economy” to refer to the traditional subject matter of politics. Both parts are needed to express the complex social system necessary to human liberty and flourishing. For human liberty and human flourishing . . . . Continue Reading »
Selma and Humane Democracy
by Andrew WalkerOver the weekend, President Obama and other national leaders traveled to Selma, Alabama to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the march on Selma. The events of that day in particular, and of the Civil Rights movement in general, remind us of an important truth: Religion and politics do go together—a democratic version of the latter cannot be sustained without the former. Continue Reading »
The Tool of Selective Nostalgia
by Peter LawlerIn defense of a rigorously selective form of nostalgia. Continue Reading »
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