The Battle of Ideas in the Policy Arena
The Battles of Ideas in the Policy Arena
Abdul M.
PLCY 700: Foundations of Statesmanship and Public Policy
May 19, 2019
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Public policy is a vast field of study hence professionals and analysts have constantly
battled in choosing which worldview and or political ideology to guide their actions and policies.
The American political culture generally spreads across a wide spectrum of ideologies as either
conservative, liberal, progressive, etc. As much as the liberal and conservative arguments
continue to gather steam, the underlining major worldviews on which the nation’s government is
established remains that the founding fathers of this great nation were greatly influenced by their
Christian belief and faith. Over time, these beliefs have been loosely altered as the calls for
openness and the cries for separation of church and state became stronger.
The friction and differences amongst the different political factions raise the question of
whether a day will come where we all agree on a subject matter. The answer to this may be easy
for most of us to shout out a simple Yes or No but it really goes beyond that. Do our politicians
just argue for the sake of it? Do they stick with their liberal or conservative beliefs just because
they feel obliged to represent their parties? Many Americans identify themselves as liberals but
are symbolically conservative. Furthermore, most don't view politics from an ideological
standpoint but rather a collection of random guesses and opinions. This highlights the effect or
roles of political ideologies in the American people (Gries, 2017, 133).
Major Worldviews
Biblical Christianity
The founding fathers of this nation as many of us have read or been taught, derived their
concept of a new world based on the ancient Catholic theology which was the golden standard of
governance in most parts of Europe. Due to the abuse of power by the Catholic church it led to
the adjustments on the part of the founding fathers in ensuring that there is a separation of
powers between the church and the state as seen in the First Amendment. Historically speaking,
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there have been instances where members of the government of America have openly denied the
fact that the nation was founded as a Christian nation or is run on Christian principles and
teachings. This is highlighted in Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797 which asserted that
the United States was not founded on Christianity. This treaty was needed because pirates from
Tripoli, an Islamic state were capturing ships from America and selling the staff into slavery. The
treaty was signed by President John Adams with the full support of the Senate (J, Judd Owen,
2007, 3). This could have been because the government at the time didn't want to the religious
differences between both nations causing any issues in reaching a trade agreement.
Even though the constitution never openly stated that this nation is a Christian nation, a vast
majority of the citizenry openly identified as Christians hence the culture of the nation was as
such. Policies were made guided by the religious beliefs of the members of the government
which was a direct representation of the populace for that matter Christianity.
Modernism
Modernism is a worldview which focused on what can be felt by our senses. It saw
Christianity and God as superstitious and lacked any factual backing. It supported the things that
can be proven by science and technology. The origins of modernism can be traced back to the
Enlightenment era where science was taking major steps in explaining the existence of many
important aspects of our lives. Modernism sought to eliminate God out of the equation by not
giving any credit to God regarding our existence and creation. As explained by Kim, Fisher &
McCalman, science had the answers to explain everything in the world. Modernists believed the
growth of newly discovered facts based on human reasoning, and the scientific method would
yield a unified answer for all knowledge and life (KIM, Fisher, & McCalman, 2009, 117). The
modernist worldview led to the political ideologies of Marxism and Progressivism.
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Postmodernism
Postmodernism started as a resistance to modernism. One of the main attributes of this
resistance is the role of science and technology in the vast amount of damages it caused during
both world wars and others (Fischer, 1998). Naturally, humans are programmed to question
unusual activities and beliefs that arise which sways from the norms we are used to. As some of
us may have questions regarding our Christian faith and beliefs it goes beyond mention that if
modernism held the key to those unanswered questions, it wouldn't be contributing enormously
to our extinction as science and technology did. According to Aronowitz (1987), “postmodernism
is marked by the reunification of foundational thought; of rules governing art; and of the
ideological master discourses, liberalism and Marxism” (Aronowitz, 1987, 99).
Generally, when things don’t work out, humans tend to find solutions by implementing
newer ways of doing things even if it means bringing together several different ideas together to
achieve a common goal. As explained by Fischer, postmodernism equally rejects Christianity as
its predecessor modernism mainly because Christianity preaches that the only way to God is
through Jesus Christ (Fischer, 1998). In addition, when this battle of eliminating modernism is
going on, people become narrow sighted to the point that they eliminate rationalism and
logicality in their thinking leading to making hasty decisions. Postmodernism led to the creation
of political ideologies critical theory, feminism, multiculturalism, and queer theory.
Political Ideologies
Marxism
Marxism just as other forms of political ideologies was in response to the unpopular
belief of domination of the populace by people with power and control. Karl Marx felt the need
for the self-emancipation of the working-class citizen. This ideology was revolutionary in the
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sense that, it opposed all forms of authority and the capitalist state. Marxism is better understood
when it is analyzed from the perspective of a new culture. Through Marx, about half the world’s
population had a new way of life, belief, and motivation to succeed or survive (Alexander, 2010,
85). Marxism opposed religion because it provided a means to control and alienate the people,
and it provided a sense of false hope without any concrete proof of its claims.
Marx saw Christianity and religion as a means to enrich and exalt God and in order for
that to be achieved, man must be nothing and poor (Surin, 2013, 11). Marxists seek detailed
explanations for every aspect of life and nature, hence their reasoning of opposing Christianity
since it is based on faith and the belief that the information presented is true and accurate. Marx
stated, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul
of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people” (Surin, 2013, 12). Marxism became a force
in the political arena mainly because of the fear that capitalism would lead nations into social
injustice and exploitation. It sought to implement a medium where production is centrally
controlled and planned for the sole purpose of satisfying the needs of humanity eliminating the
quest of profitability. Marxism gathered a lot of momentum thus serves as the basis for other
future political ideologies in today’s generation.
Progressivism
Progressivism just as Marxism is a subject of the modernization worldview. Furthermore,
it shares its revolutionary mindset with that of Marxism. Since Marxism was a far older ideology,
it goes without mention that, Marxism may have contributed to its origins. Also, progressive
thinkers were revolutionary with their focus on the end result not the means to achieve their
goals. This is because, they openly opposed radicalism hence their channel of achieving their
goal was to attack the constitution since it was the barrier hindering the changes needed for the
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new industrial age (Ceaser, 2012, 177). Also, they opposed religion mainly because they believed
it wasn’t as sanctified as the world has been made to believe but a collection of experiences and
ideas put together to aid humans in the search of God (McCarraher, 2000, 12).
Progressivists believe that religion provided a medium to channel these experiences and
ideas into reality. Furthermore, they opposed the restrictions that are imposed by religion on
human development and advancements. According to them an effective system of modern
policymaking is required to ensure that people are free to experiment their ideas without any
artificial limitations which they believed religion imposed (Ceaser, 2012, 178). The Bible
preaches that if we lack self-control, we will be controlled and enslaved by what controls us.
Having self-control helps in making us better fathers, leaders, teachers, etc. because we aren’t
easily swayed by the worldly things which seemed to be a major push for progressivism.
Critical Theory
The critical theory stems from a postmodern worldview and attempts to provide solutions
to the unaddressed issues left behind by the previous ideologies. Similar to Marxism, it seeks to
address the exploitation of different groups by a smaller portion of the population. Furthermore,
the critical theory focuses on studying society itself hence not limiting itself to solving a
particular issue but rather addressing the complete societal structure (Horkheimer, 1972, 4).
When compared to Marxism, critical theory attempted to address a broader issue of human
enslavement in all aspects of life rather than just focusing on economic exploitation and control.
In addition, critical theory is based on three criteria; explanatory, practical, normative. This
means in order for critical theory to be successful, it must identify a problem with the current
system, the people needed to enforce change, and must have practical goals that can be
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achievable to guarantee social transformation (Horkheimer, 1972, 246). Critical theory has been
criticized for its politicizing science and knowledge but its sole motive is to remove all political
undertones in all aspects of human life including science (Conquergood, 1991, 182).
Feminism
Feminism as a political ideology has been around longer than most of us will admit. Its
popularity now can be attributed to the media, technology, acceptance, a more liberal world, etc
(Thorpe, Toffoletti, Bruce, 2017, 360). The role that women played in the progressive era can’t
be deducted from our history. World War I provided the basis for women representation in
several sectors of the economy hence providing a larger medium to equal women rights. Women
and their rights have been likened to that of slaves in the sense that “they both are kept in a state
of servitude, ignorance and have no means of breaking the ceiling that is shielded over their
bodies (Hekman, 2015, 139).
Women had been programmed since creation to be guardians of the home and hence were
never motivated to match the standards set for her male counterparts. Feminism as a postmodern
ideology fights for the equality of men and women. Feminism has faced tremendous resistance
from both men and women mainly because of the fear of change. Feminists are seen to be angry
women who seek to change the religious standards of our societies and are fighting to overthrow
the man as the head of the household. This obviously is far-fetched; feminists represent an
important aspect of our society in the sense that their opinions and views hold all of us honest
and ensure that we treat our female counterparts equally as they deserve.
Multiculturalism
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Multiculturalism on the surface represents diversity, but in reality, it incorporates the
policies and regulations that ensure the protection of a diversified society. Furthermore, it has
sought to reduce conflicts among different cultures hence maintaining the unique cultures and
heritage of each ethnic group (Kauff, 2013, 306). It is important to have a multicultural ideology,
we would have to go back in time to find serious conflicts amongst different ethnic groups that
have gone on for decades leading to loss of lives, i.e., the Tutsi and Hutu war in Rwanda, Hitler's
attack on Jews, and so forth.
Many have argued that a salient multicultural ideology creates a threatening behavior
amongst members of that group potentially instigating friction (Vorauer & Quesnel, 2017, 867).
Multiculturalism confirms what Christianity has always preached in Mark 12:31, “treat thy
neighbors as thyself” (ESV). Accepting the beliefs of others doesn't determine superiority or
inferiority. This confirms the irony of the majority of the post-modern worldviews which openly
oppose the biblical Christianity views on life but hence the basis of their belief is centered on
Christian teachings and morals.
Queer Theory
Queer theory is commonly seen as a subset of critical theory and shares similar beliefs
with other ideologies such as feminism in the sense that they both see gender as an important
aspect of life. Queer theory is an ever-evolving theory that is characterized by several other
theories who utilize the term for different purposes (Watson, 2005, 68). This theory seeks to
bring a balance between sex, gender, and desire. The queer theory emerged in the early 1900s as
a quest to find a better understanding into the universal identity of oneself based on liberal and
feminist opinions and views and to answer the questions regarding the distribution of power and
the different identity groups in our society (Watson, 2005, 69). The push for queer theory
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triggered a wave of bias mainly lacking well-informed research or opinions but rather based
morally accepted norms and customs.
Queer theory differs from other sexuality theories because as the later adopts an
unapologetic humanistic approach, queer theory adopts an anti-humanistic approach
(Zanghellini, 2019, 3). In reality, this view of an anti-humanistic approach is based on the lack
of acceptance of the LGBT community which could be because of a person's religion, individual
experiences, and biases.
Statist Trends
During the 1960s there where several statist trends that continued throughout the 1980s.
These trends that helped develop and reform decades of cultural and social changes, racial
injustice, the women’s movement, poverty, and war, caused a significant shift in American
society. The government implemented programs and reform legislation such as Medicaid,
Medicare, food stamps, Social Security, civil rights bills, and the equal rights amendment, which
brought about tremendous change and ushered in individual liberties and civil freedoms that
were productive as well as life-altering.
The Civil Rights Movement
The sixties were a decade of protests, rebellion, and riots. The unfair treatment of
African Americans and other subordinate groups brought the United States to the brink of social
change. Groups such as the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) and the Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) were groups of young African American Protesters
who wanted to bring about reform through nonviolent confrontation. Fueled by their victories in
the 1950s, these protesters were committed to direct action and civil rights workers began to stir-
up media attention. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the leader of the civil rights movement. While
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opting out of the use of violence, King’s speeches, nonviolent protests, and his fight for civil
rights made significant advances for African Americans. His assassination caused an outcry of
mourning across the nation and the growth of the Black Panther movement. In the aftermath of
King’s death, the equal housing bill was passed, and it was the last of the civil rights era.
President John F. Kennedy was initially reluctant to press white southerners for support
on civil rights because he needed their votes on other issues. Events orchestrated by African
Americans left him little or no choice. President Kennedy sent Congress a new civil rights bill
that mandated integration in public places. The horrific terror unleashed on the African
American population called for the birth of organized rallies, marches, and protests to
demonstrate the commitment that was afforded to the civil rights movement by the African
American race and those that supported their cause. Between 1963 and 1972 America
experienced over 750 urban revolts, known as the ‘Great Uprising’ (Levy, 2018).
The Women’s Movement
As an abundant number of women, mostly married, entered into the workforce in the
1960s, they earned a mere 63 percent of what men made. Drawing their inspiration from the
civil rights movement, women began to rebel. 28 professional middle-class women created the
National Organization for Women (NOW), that was tasked with bringing American women into
the participation of mainstream American society The Feminine Mystique, published by Betty
Friedan, argued that women often had no outlets for expressions other than “finding a husband
and bearing children.” (Parry, 2010). Women were encouraged to seek something more, find
new roles to occupy and discover their own personal and professional identities.
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In 1972, Congress passed an amendment that declared in part, “Equality of rights under
the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
NOW advocated profusely for the equal partnership of the sexes. Women sought equal pay,
equal compensation, and a chance at jobs that were generally set aside for men. The Equal
Rights Amendment was never ratified. It was unable to get the approval needed for ratification.
The launch of the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL), was spear-
headed by Betty Friedan and in 1973, Roe v. Wade sanctioned women’s right to obtain an
abortion in the early stage of pregnancy. This Supreme Court ruling sparked the growth of the
anti-abortion movement.
The Counterculture
The women’s movement affected copious amounts of the middle-class youth and they
began to rebel. Tired of the lives their parents created, youth began to participate in radical and
political activity, new styles of fashion, and sexual liberation. This counterculture spread vastly
throughout parts of society in the early 1960s and early 1970s. As slacks and ties were being
replaced with blue jeans and t-shirts, the use of illegal drugs increased. British music groups
became popular such as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Songwriters were using their music
as a way of spreading their political and social commentary.
During a three-day music festival in New York State where nearly half-a-million youth
attended, coined this era as the Woodstock Generation. Known as “hippies”, the majority of
them were white middle-class men and women. They wanted to find their own meaning in life
and enjoy it. Psychedelic drugs, holistic medicine, free love, and back-to-land living was
embraced by this hippie generation. According to Shires (2007), “the freedom that
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countercultural Christians embraced also made it possible for them to do, in Christ, things that
churchgoing Christians often eschewed” (Shires, 2007, 103).
The young counterculture became active participants in the civil rights movement, the
fight against poverty and they protested the Vietnam war. By 1968, volunteers and draftees were
at a high of 500,000 soldiers. Many of the young activists became involved in mainstream
politics and protests. President Johnson was compelled into negotiating for peace due to the
distress of the people and the strife of the war. As the young counterculture continued to protest
and express their disconsent for the Vietnam war, poverty, and racial injustice, President Johnson
renounced his intention of seeking another presidential term in office.
Poverty
The "Great Society" was the socio-economic program designed to help secure
employment and federal jobs for impoverished young people. The liberal Lyndon B Johnson
was passionate about using his power as president to eliminate poverty and help everyone to
prosper. The Great Society rests on abundance and liberty for all. It demands an end to poverty
and racial injustice.” (Feuerherd, 2017, 1). This was the first step in what Lyndon Johnson
referred to as the “war on poverty.” Once liberal Democrats took control of Congress, they were
able to pass legislation to focus on poverty. President Johnson convinced Congress to approve a
capacious amount of new laws that embedded civil rights protections and programs such as
Medicare and Medicaid, food stamps, housing securities, federal investments in elementary and
high school education, Head Start and college aid.
Training and community-action agencies were put in place by Congress to give those
living in poverty a voice in housing, health, and educational programs. Supplements for rent and
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housing were given to families in need that met a certain criterion. This housing act paved the
way to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The legislative activity during this
time increased but many of the programs put in place were underfunded and failed. The cost of
the war overshadowed poverty in America. The programs failed to reach their targeted goals
largely because of its reliance on individuals rather than institutions especially when the recipient
isn’t motivated enough (Murray, 2015, 37).
The support for the Great Society began to decline in 1966. Just as the people were
unhappy with the war in Vietnam, they were also dissatisfied with the Great Society. However,
poverty did decline during the time that Johnson was in office. By 1969, an enormous number
of families received welfare funded by federal tax dollars. Minority families were initially left
out or blocked from the welfare program. Once access fully gained to the programs of the Great
Society, which was put in place to fight poverty, the African American household income
increased by 50 percent during the 1960s. The number of minority families living in poverty
also declined (Feuerherd, 2017, 3).
The political status quo of the 1960s accompanied by the Vietnam war, the draft, and
racial injustice caused numerous riots and protests. These violent riots and protests involved
citizens as well as police and changed America politically and socially. In the wake of the
assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and President John F. Kennedy, racism and poverty
continued and was prominent throughout the 1980s. The economy was weakening,
unemployment was increasing and policies that were designed to generate employment was a
major cause of inflation.
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During the 1970s, the United States (U.S) experienced a transformation in multiple facets
of its character that helped shape our current time (Schulman, 2001,7). As political power
shifted in the U.S, Americans began to move to more business-friendly regions in the South and
Southwest following jobs and federal tax dollars. Americans reluctantly changed their attitudes
towards racism and began to accept social change, desegregation, and diversity.
The biblical model of government and statesmanship
As Christians, we are raised to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. The United
States of America has been openly identified as a Christian nation or for the very least was built
on Christian foundations. The statist trends in the '60s through the '80s does not confirm those
beliefs stated above. In reality, those trends bring the nation closer to a nation in tyranny than one
that puts the Lord first. As explained by Fischer, respecting authority as preached by the gospel
goes beyond just worship and claiming our faith, but also accept that we need the Lords
permission to do everything even when we feel as if we have the power to do them. (Fischer,
1998, 14).
The 1960s-1980s where considered decades of liberalism, transformation, prosperity, and
victory. As a part of extensive government programs, protests, and social and cultural changes,
the citizens and the government put forth a substantial amount of effort to utilize legislature to
help cope with unpleasant situations such as poverty, racial injustice, war, and inequalities
throughout the decades. From a Biblical standpoint, God anticipates the government to protect
the needy, the oppressed, and the afflicted even in times of war. In the attempted to relieve the
injustices and help the nation prosper in its entirety, several programs and legislation were put in
place to implement moral law while keeping the best interest of the less fortunate in the
forefront.
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Actions may be legally right but morally wrong. For example, to give women more
rights and control of their lives, the Supreme Court legalized women’s right to have an abortion.
Children are gifts from God. He tells us “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before
you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Abortion is against
the principles of God, but it was a victory for women to be given that legal right.
God has a caring character and he cares for the less fortunate and needy. People tend to
lose their faith in the government when programs and legislature are not as successful as
planned. People may not have agreed with liberty and justice for all or had faith in decisions
made by the government during the 60s -80s, but Government was put in place to promote
stability, prosperity, and provide security. If a nation is built on the principles of God, it will be a
long-lasting government. Managing and protecting vast numbers of people and providing a way
for them to meet their needs requires great statesmanship, management skills, and patience.
Electing Christian leaders with a biblical worldview will help sustain the government and
promote equality and prosperity for all.
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