We are almost finished with our first Niebuhr book--tonight's chapter is "Justice Through Political Force." As the health care reform process reaches its' final conclusion, I found this chapter fairly interesting and very much still applicable today. In general, Niebuhr, while not advocating revolutionary socialism, certainly identifies pretty clearly the issues surrounding socialism through political process. Essentially every time a socialist leader made it to power, he failed to enact the force of his ideology when he came in direct confrontation with the inertia of the status quo.
Early on in the chapter Niebuhr easily identifies the weakness of labor's main tool of action--the strike. In a modern society, the forces of capital are simply much better equipped to "wait it out" and their hold on economic power typically turns political power in their direction as well. Moreover, workers in Europe and America seem to trust the democratic system as a vehicle for change over revolution. Even in 1918, when German socialists were a majority, their democratic sharing of power diluted their ability, and eventually lead to the failure of the Weimar Republic.
After parading numerous similar examples of leftist capitulation, he returns to critiques of John Dewey and the belief in education for social transformation. In addition, he lampoons the efficacy of government by experts:
The conception that society needs and, if intelligent enough, will be able to secure, is "trained and experienced specialists" to perform the "expert functions" of government, betrays an additional class prejudice, the prejudice of the intellectual, who is so much the rationalist, he imagines the evils of government can be eliminated by expert knowledge of specialists. p. 214
Later, again, "rational" turns into "opportunistic" and if the focus does not remain on some ideal, and if there is not some serious passion associated with the movement, in the end the status quo usually prevails.
The temptation of inertia and opportunism which the rationalistic radical faces is no less perilous. The history of parliamentary socialism is filled with evidences of it, and Christian history offers interesting analogous instances. There is only one step from a rationally moderated idealism to opportunism, and another step from opportunism to dishonest capitulation to the status quo. p. 222
For the health care debate--the passion of reform needs to accept the practicality of passing legislation now, but keep the ideals of what still needs to be achieved alive. The status quo has been harmed and altered, but the pressure against it needs to continue unabated or it will take these gains back. The fact that Kuncinich is in on the vote is encouraging, because after the vote, I think he will keep the pressure up, and since he voted for it--others in the Democratic Party might listen.
In the closing pages of the chapter, the depressing record of Social Change v. Nationalism comes into painful view. It seems as though governments of all stripes fall to National Unity over Just Domestic Policies. Perhaps this suggests as well that campaigning against militarism would be one of the most important thing to do to create an environment capable of producing lasting progressive change inside a nation-state.
There's a start--I know there are many issues I left untouched--have at it!
FYI--The company I work for is having an event, so I'm posting from the event. I might bounce in and out here.