Fundamental Political Differences Between Left and Right

Ayn Rand recommended a technique for understanding, if not resolving, irreconcilable differences of opinion: “First, check your premises.” It’s pointless to argue with someone when your basic assumptions and goals are unalterably different. In politics these aren’t discussions, they’re unproductive exercises in rhetoric, gamesmanship and grandstanding ,at least on one side.

Imagine an argument on economics between Milton Friedman and Bernie Sanders.

A profound illustration of this concept was provided by James Burnham in his classic book, “Suicide of the West,” published in 1964. It addressed the fundamental conflict in world view and the order of values between those on the ideological left and right. It’s just as insightful today.

Burnham defined four key values:

Liberty – National independence, self-government, and sovereignty.

Freedom – In the sense of individual liberty.

Justice – In the sense of a “social justice” welfare state with where egalitarianism means equality of outcome rather than equality of opportunity.

Peace – The absence of large-scale warfare among major powers.

He observed that most people believe in all of these values to one extent or another but are often forced to make choices when one value conflicts with another and when prioritizing these values in order of relative importance. For example, would you jeopardize peace to defend liberty? Or override individual freedom to achieve social justice?

This is an approximation of Burnham’s forced-ranking as applied to today’s political divide.

Right (conservatives) Left (progressives)

Liberty Peace