re: #414 Tantor

Both Right and Left want change but approach it in different ways. The Right prefers change by increment, building on previous proven success. The Left tends to believe in revolutionary change, overthrowing everything before to replace it with something entirely new and untested.

That is completely incorrect. It isn’t the left-right dichotomy you’re describing. The dichotomy you’re describing is the constrained and unconstrained visions as described by Thomas Sowell in A Conflict of Visions.

While the constrained vision sees societal evolution coming about in increments with restrictions and incentives on power and societal behavior (and free-market economies); it is the unconstrained vision which seeks dramatic, revolutionary change to establish egalitarian societies they wish existed (usually run by elitists) and they tend to be socialist.

It should be noted, however, that Dr Sowell considers both fascism and marxism to be hybrids of these two visions, not properly fitting into either category for various reasons.

I’m not quite sure what part of the ron paul “revolution!” rhetoric isn’t unconstrained. When they say that is what they want, I’m taking them at face value. They’re not interested in reforming the current system, which while not perfect, is functional and still evolving. Imagine the disruption to our lives if these people got their crazy way.

I would also like to point out there are people of the constrained vision on the left, many we’d probably consider Reagan Democrats. The constrained-unconstrained visions don’t follow the left-right dichotomy. While the right-left dichotomy of the unconstrained vision might arrive at different conclusions, it’s their mindset and thought process which are similar.