Thomas Sowell describes an inherent and longstanding conflict between competing vision of the world. Sowell drives down to the deepest levels of abstraction to trace the origins of political difference to the fundamental views of the nature of humanity, the world, and ethics. The book explains how the two political parties in the US so reliably find themselves taking opposing views on the problems and corresponding solutions to issues plaguing the world. Sowell’s assertion is that this reliable difference is due to deeply held, though often implicit, fundamental premises about the world in its description and operation. This bifurcation is between those who see the world as unconstrained and those who hold a constrained view of the world. The book looks at this dichotomy of the constrained versus the unconstrained vision.
These visions or worldviews are like maps that compress the complexity of the world into a easily tractable landscape of the major features of reality. The political conflict stems from fundamentally opposed maps and visions of reality. I find his framework both compelling and full of explanatory power to illuminate current struggles and disagreements.
Constrained
Nature of Man
Man is inherently limited
Man is born brutish and selfish and fallen, society may use his selfish motives to restrain anti-social behavior
Primarily concerned with man’s intentions and motivations
Nature of World
Highly concerned with accurately describing and dealing with the world as it is
World is infinitely complex such that it is impossible or counterproductive to try to directly achieve ends
The world can only be managed via trade-offs
Since all actions are tradeoffs, best we can do is set up fair rules and process
Nature of Government
Checks and balances because no one can be trusted with power
The exception that demands special explanation is poverty, war, & crime
Carefully balance trade-offs and maintain fair rules so that individuals may have opportunity to prosper
Unconstrained
Nature of Man
Man is unlimited, untapped potential
Man is born pure and virtuous, corrupted only by institutions and culture. Each person is a blank slate that is subsequently corrupted
Primarily concerned with outward actions and incentives
Nature of World
Primarily motivated with concern for the world as it ought to be
World is infinitely malleable to human intention and man’s objectives. Any deficiency is the result of evil intention
The world must achieve desirable solutions
The right thing is to achieve fair outcomes and objectives
Nature of Government
Empower of moral & intellectual superiors to steer society
The exception that demands special explanation is wealth, peace, & civility
Banish the evil that is localized in individuals and institutions so that the possible utopia may prevail upon the land
Normally one could neatly fit many progressive or Democrat politicians into the unconstrained vision and place most conservative or Republican politicians into the constrained vision. However, President Trump violates many dimensions of this dichotomy. His actions in office seem to tilt much more to the unconstrained vision than the typical republican politician. He is not laissez faire and free market oriented. He exhibits aspects of a “strong man” whom his follower trust with power to make the world better. He does not deal in trade-offs so much as grand solutions. This can be understood in terms of his populist principles and repudiation of traditional conservative or neoconservative ideals.
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