“The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.”—Montesquieu, Spirit of the Laws, 1748.
Welcome to The Middle Path. The aspiration for this publication is first and foremost to open a dialogue all too lacking on the Kenyon campus. Kenyon is an incredible place, and I am proud to be a member of this vibrant and passionate community. Yet Kenyon, like much of the modern world, is deficient of a strong and coherent classically liberal viewpoint in all realms encompassing politics. To many young people, the classically liberal ideas of the enlightenment seem out-of-date, irrelevant or simply untrue. A recent Gallup Poll demonstrated that 49% of young people in the United States had positive views toward socialism while just 43% had negative views.
The purpose here is not to slander political adversaries. Rather, in the greater pursuit of truth, we seek to point out statistical realities and civilly engage with those whom might disagree. While the hope is to genuinely engage this 49%, this figure is indeed concerning. A lack of condemnation for open and uncut socialism is a clear demonstration of a problem. A simple survey of history in Eastern Europe and elsewhere shows the havoc that socialism and communism (the end goal of socialism as Lenin himself puts it) has wreaked on numerous countries still trying to recover. For example, tens of thousands of Romanians protested in Bucharest in 2018 with the aim of rooting out corruption that has festered for decades from the top down — largely a remnant of the Ceaușescu regime. Speak to nearly any Romanian, and they will tell you about the prevalence of corruption from the highest levels of government, to private citizens paying their Doctors a few extra leus so they can see them or their family members sooner.
With this said, we as responsible citizens should not blindly discount the doubt that many Americans place in our system. It is with great pride to profess belief in the American system and the sovereignty of the individual. Yet, equally as strong a belief is that those who feel disenfranchised must have their voices heard. Though solutions may at times clash, similar gripes are likely shared. At the moment, spearheading our Republic is a megalomaniac President who fails to condemn authoritarian dictators and instead points the finger for corruption at our own intelligence agencies. We have an administration and 32% of Americans who refuse to acknowledge the reality of man-influenced climate change (though the numbers show great improvement from 3 years ago at 45%). Similar to the 49% of young Americans keen on socialism, we have seen portions of the American right cave to populist sentiments and abandon any fiscally conservative or classically liberal convictions they once held—if they ever did. Moreover, this sympathy for right-wing populism has allowed for certain of the country’s most hateful and vile groups to emerge from their miserable caves. These concerns are just a few of many, and the country has reached an apex of division which many of us have not seen nor expected in our lifetimes.
Insert the voice of the classical liberal. We at The Middle Path believe that the solutions to the problems we face stem principally from the idea of the individual as sovereign. Those who seek to use identity politics and groupthink to push their agenda forward fail to see the counterproductive nature of their tactics. Everyone has their own unique experience, and the aim is not to deny the crucial role that identity and perspective play in one’s quest for truth and pursuit of happiness. To deny that is to deny reality. Yet, when superior value is ascribed to an individual’s opinion solely because of his or her identity, and in turn used to devalue or silence that of others, discussion and progress are brought to a standstill — not a push forward. To this end, free speech and open dialogue are the solution, not the problem. On the issue of government intervention, it is a tricky and convoluted one that changes on a case-by-case basis. That being said, we believe that in general, the greater opportunity for prosperity across the board lies in the hands of private individuals improving their lives through transactions in a free and fair market. The solutions to our most complex problems should not always fall to more government bureaucrats with little taste for efficiency in time and cost. We believe that the primary roles of government ought to be the protection of our security and civil liberties, as well as the assurance of the fairness and freedom of the market.
Furthermore, recognition of the negative impacts of hyper-materialism on our consciences is a legitimate problem that needs to be discussed more. We are disheartened to see values of compassion, respect, honor, and responsibility be seemingly disintegrated into irrelevance as many people spend more time scrolling through their cell phones than they do interacting and experiencing life with other human beings. Similarly, though, the solution to this problem is not the denigration of a way of thinking that has built the most vast and complex economies and allowed for the flourishing of ideas that have improved countless lives.
I understand the broad nature with which I am speaking here, but the foundation upon which this magazine is built ought to be postured properly so as not to portray a convoluted message as it hopefully grows. We at The Middle Path hope you will continue with us as we explore some of the topics here mentioned in greater detail, as well as new ideas that call our attention. Our positions likely will agree with conservatives at times, and liberals at others. We are classical liberals, in the vein of Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, and F. A. Hayek, among others. We believe in the innate power and dignity of each human individual. We believe in liberty, and will consistently advocate for that position. We warmly invite the criticism of our ideas, and implore our fellow students to do so with civility and respect.
We all want what is best for the world and for our fellow man, and ought to extend that assumption of motive to those with whom we engage on all fronts. We also invite those who wish to share their voice and perspective in this magazine to reach out to us directly. The more voices heard, the greater the opportunity for this dialogue — and for Kenyon — to flourish.
Thank you and welcome to The Middle Path.
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