Professor Arnold Kling (Ph.D., Economics) has a interesting examination of the Left and the problems that the party faces in getting back on top. In the same manner Peter Beinhart argued for an re-examination of the Democratic Party's approach to foreign policy in his New Republic article A Fighting Faith, Kling argues that the parties within the West, namely the Democratic Party should return to the roots of yesteryear. This return is done best by returning to the Anglosphere. Since the US is considered a member of the Anglosphere the revert will require little or no work.
While the article The Anglosphere Challenge to the Political Left is a review of James C. Bennett's The Anglosphere Challange, Kling also offers a bevy of insight on what the roots to success include. He reflects on four specific areas that are unique in our society, which are:
1) Our Anglospheric culture, as Bennett calls it, enables people to form and break relationships easily. In economist's terms, the costs of entry and exit are low.
*Kling noted that Americans have always found ways to form associations within the community of inhabitants. Such associations date back 200 plus years ago and were revealed in Alexis de Tocqueville's fabulous book On Democracy. People can move beyond the differences between them and enter and exit freely in such associations.
2) The ability to formulate and dissolve partnerships is very important in the real world of business, yet it receives relatively little attention in business school, much less in economics.
*Kling notes that partnership formulations are also essential. Ex. Legal agreements, Market transactions.
3) In the 1960's and 1970's, a book with the ambition, scope, and intellectual power of The Anglosphere Challenge would have been written by an academic.
*Unlike the 60's & 70's, books and thought proking ideas have moved outside the sphere of academia. Just look at his list. Blogs have also replaced the settings. The academics are freed from their academic plantations. They can spread their wings. The left can't hack outside the sphere.
4) Today's political Left is focused on group solidarity rather than on building a coalition.
*The Dems need to move away from the like minded, lock-step groups like Moveon.org. Do as conservatives, accept libertarians, social conservatives, deficit hawks, supply-siders, pro/anti- immigration, neo-conservatives and paleo-conservatives. Ex. More Liberman's less Pelosi's.
Overall, it's a great book. It's on my list.
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