progressivism, individualism, and the public ... - Telmarc Group

The Telmarc Group
PROGRESSIVISM, INDIVIDUALISM, AND THE PUBLIC
INTELLECTUAL
cannot exist. Dewey in developing this theory is in effect deploying the atheists "religious
beliefs" to the society. His denial of the individual is a religious belief just as much as the
source being God.
Fott continues:
"It is characteristic of Dewey's thought that he refuses to consider the individual except
in relation to society, and society except in terms of the individuals who constitute it.
…Dewey criticizes early modern liberalism for its ahistorical, asocial individualism by
claiming that it is not even possible to define the term "individual" without reference to
what he considers the necessary link between the individual and the social…" 91
Fott also quotes Dewey as follows: 92
"As long as freedom of thought and speech is claimed as merely an individual right, it
will give way, as do other merely personal claims, when it is, or is successfully
represented to be, in opposition to the general welfare."
Dewey is stating quite clearly that the practice of individual rights as guaranteed by the
Constitution should be sublimated to the group or societal rights, never envisioned by the
Founders. This construct is what becomes a fundamental elemental of the Progressives.
Thus as regards to individualism, Dewey finds it abhorrent and unacceptable. He believes
it is the group or society which must be served. The fundamental problem is that the
individual is immutable, we can see them and count them. The group, the society as we
could call it, or the majority or ruling class is amorphous and changing, it is not static,
and if we allow it control by denying the individual we create a state where the individual
is oppressed. That is not what the Founders desired. It is a society of oppressive leaders,
of intellectual elites and one that results on the elimination of the individual.
4.4 TEDDY ROOSEVELT
Teddy Roosevelt ("TR") was a groundbreaking president. Part of the reason was most
likely because he was of both a privileged and elite background as well as one who had
no experience in what even then would have been called the "real world". TR was to
some degree the "accidental president" after the assassination of President McKinley. TR
clearly believed that the executive had more power than any executive before him. He
had held various political positions including two years as Governor of New York before
his ascendancy to the Presidency. His family money and contacts as well as his superb
self promotion were key to his becoming Vice President. His Presidency on the other
hand was unexpected. As he moved through his Presidency he began to set targets to
91 Fott p. 35.
92 Fott p 56.
Page 81