There are two great questions in political philosophy:
Is there more to human political life than power--are there immutable principles of justice on which we ought to base our politics? Is it really possible to rule according to such principles?
If so, then statesmanship is possible, but what is it? Many Straussians see the Founding as the creation of a political perpetual motion machine, answering all the questions and eliminating all need for statesmanship--prudent maintenance and administration are all that remain for us.
But the mechanics of government cannot run forever--they are only auxiliary safeguards to our liberty. We the people must forever be the primary and permanent safeguards of our own liberties.
If we are to be a republic; if we are to have self-government, we must reconcile the two great principles of our political tradition:
Government must be based on eternal principles of justice.
Government must be based on the consent of the governed.
This is the problem of republican government: the people must consent to just laws. The will and opinion of the people, then, must be guided by a love of just laws and from time to time this light must be renewed and rekindled in us by the voice of a statesman. We need a man with both a strong, clear conception of justice and the ability to persuade others of it as well.
The question is... when have we seen such men, and will one come again in our lifetime?
Is there more to human political life than power--are there immutable principles of justice on which we ought to base our politics? Is it really possible to rule according to such principles?
If so, then statesmanship is possible, but what is it? Many Straussians see the Founding as the creation of a political perpetual motion machine, answering all the questions and eliminating all need for statesmanship--prudent maintenance and administration are all that remain for us.
But the mechanics of government cannot run forever--they are only auxiliary safeguards to our liberty. We the people must forever be the primary and permanent safeguards of our own liberties.
If we are to be a republic; if we are to have self-government, we must reconcile the two great principles of our political tradition:
Government must be based on eternal principles of justice.
Government must be based on the consent of the governed.
This is the problem of republican government: the people must consent to just laws. The will and opinion of the people, then, must be guided by a love of just laws and from time to time this light must be renewed and rekindled in us by the voice of a statesman. We need a man with both a strong, clear conception of justice and the ability to persuade others of it as well.
The question is... when have we seen such men, and will one come again in our lifetime?
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