The word "politics" derives its original meaning from the Greek word polis, which refers to the self-sustaining, self-governing, human community. Both Plato and Aristotle were aware that the human individual, in and of herself, is neither a physical, psychological, nor cultural whole. Human beings live, necessarily, in the context of one another, and the nature and quality of that interhuman context determines the nature and quality of human life. Politics, in its broadest sense, refers to that branch of study and activity that concerns itself with the greater interhuman context of human life; i.e., with the human whole.
The question of politics is the question of how best to organize the interhuman community so as to serve the fundamental values of human life. Naturally, the way in which we answer this question will have a good deal to do with what we understand these values to be.
As spiritual progressives we are dedicated to two principles expressive of these fundamental values: The first is the principle of the dignity, or fundamental worth, of every human being. As Kant expressed it in the early Enlightenment: Every human being is to be regarded as an end-in-herself, i.e., a person of worth unto herself, and, thus, is never to be used as a mere means to another's end. Religiously, we find this principle expressed in the notion that all human beings are made "in the image of God."
The second principle is related to the first: It is that every human being has a responsibility to recognize and respect the dignity of every other. Again, Kant expresses this in his Categorical Imperative: Never make of yourself an exception to a rule you would impose upon others., i.e., always treat others with the same respect that you demand for yourself. Religiously, we find this principle expressed in the injunction that all human beings are to "love their neighbors as themselves."
These two principles are not independent of one another. Rather, as both the philosophical and religious traditions affirm, a recognition of the dignity of others constitutes an essential part of the dignity of oneself. Thus, the demand for such recognition is not to be construed as a burden or necessary evil. Rather, acceptance of it ennobles us as human beings, allowing us to transcend our private, finite, interests and enter into relation with the human (and, perhaps, trans-human) whole. Such relation, we believe, is essential to human fulfillment. Thus, the responsibility to respect human dignity is a crucial element in human dignity itself, and, indeed, in human happiness.
How must a political system be ordered so as to best serve the demands of human dignity? That is the political question par excellence. Sadly, we find that systematic answers to this question are not readily available to us in the contemporary world. During the Cold War the world was divided between the totalistic systems of the Soviet bloc and the individualistic systems of the West. In our view, each of these systems diverged from the ideal in its own way. On the one hand, a totalistic system that does not recognize and respect the freedom and aspirations of the individual is inconsistent with human dignity. On the other, an individualistic system that neglects some individuals while co modifying others, and fails to acknowledge and support the essential interconnectedness of human beings, is also inconsistent with human dignity. With the collapse of the Communist world and the advance of free-market globalism the latter view has gained ascendancy and now threatens to overwhelm us. In response, we cannot simply raise the banner of an old, and defeated, totalism. We must think through, from the ground up, the political organization required to best preserve and promote the fundamental values we believe in. To do so effectively, we must be able to go beyond mere theory toward the generation of concrete policy proposals; proposals that are, on the one hand, grounded in a systematic, theoretical vision, and are, on the other, practical enough to be implemented in the real world that we live in. Our ultimate aim is to produce policy proposals and messaging materials that can help inform the American political process.
This is the goal of the Tikkun Institute's Political Vision Project. We are drawing together a small group of dedicated thinkers who will meet on a regular basis to develop this systematic political vision, one that can serve as the theoretical groundwork for a spiritual-progressive program of political education and action. This vision will have two dimensions, one critical and one positive. Critically, we will look at the ideological justifications for the emerging global-corporate order and critique them from the standpoint of our own spiritual-progressive values. Positively, we will develop a realistic counter-vision of how the political world should be, and can be, ordered. We imagine that this vision will address the following basic categories:
I. Government
We will consider the proper role of Government as the one human institution charged with securing the common good for all human beings. What power should Government have in relation to other centers of power (individual, family, community, religious, corporate, international, etc)? How might we ensure that the power of Government is not usurped by private powers pursuing their own special interests, to the detriment of the common good?
II. Economics
What economic structure will best advance human material well-being and healthful human communal relations?
III. Environment
What must we do to protect the integrity of the ecosystem as well as promote human recognition of and respect for the natural world.
IV. Morality
What is the proper relationship of the political system to moral principles?
V. Spirituality
What is the proper relationship of the political system to human spiritual aspirations?
These are all very big questions, but, as the Chinese proverb says, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
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