The case for a free society is a broad integration across many subjects, including history, economics, and moral philosophy. Central to this integration is the topic of human progress—specifically, the scientific, technological, industrial, and economic progress that has been dramatically raising standards of living around the world for over two hundred years. Understanding the history, nature, and causes of progress should be a focus for anyone who wants to defend
Jason has it exactly right. The biggest and best reasons for a free society are all rooted in how much our lives and all human life has improved because of it. It would never succeed, but I have often thought that what the world needs is a kind of reverse Disneyland, a 'resort' where living conditions are the same as they were in the 1700's or the middle ages or even Roman times. It wouldn't be much fun, but it sure would be educational for all those people who think the world has gotten worse.
It’s amazing that this case even has to made but alas it does. I wonder if it has occurred to the largely developed worlds critics of progress and liberalism to find out how the billion + people who have left extreme poverty in the past 20 years feel about it - not that they would care what the extreme poor would think about it
Jason has it exactly right. The biggest and best reasons for a free society are all rooted in how much our lives and all human life has improved because of it. It would never succeed, but I have often thought that what the world needs is a kind of reverse Disneyland, a 'resort' where living conditions are the same as they were in the 1700's or the middle ages or even Roman times. It wouldn't be much fun, but it sure would be educational for all those people who think the world has gotten worse.
It’s amazing that this case even has to made but alas it does. I wonder if it has occurred to the largely developed worlds critics of progress and liberalism to find out how the billion + people who have left extreme poverty in the past 20 years feel about it - not that they would care what the extreme poor would think about it