“One lesson to consider is Grant’s insistence that people living in liberal democracies should ask themselves: to what are they loyal? Loyalty is not the same as self-interest. We are supposed to be loyal to things that transcend our self-serving desires. In an age in which so-called technological progress seems to satisfy these desires, people often forget that they need to be loyal to greater things that inspire the cultivation of character or virtue.”
-- Dr. Grant Havers, TWU Philosophy Professor
This year, Canadians could be expecting a federal election as early as this fall if the minority government falls. Meanwhile, south of the border, U.S. citizens are prepared for nationwide voting on November 3.
As people across North America weigh their political choices, Dr. Grant Havers, who teaches political philosophy at Trinity Western University, considers the value of political conservatism today.
Dr. Havers recently wrote an article for Chronicles magazine, honouring George Grant (1918-1988), a Canadian philosopher and political commentator best known for his book, Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism.
Read: Dr. Havers' article, “Remembering George Grant”.
Dr. Havers also wrote about George Grant in a recently published anthology, The Vanishing Tradition: Perspectives on American Conservatism (his chapter is, “The Tory Right and the American Conservative Movement: Parallel Universes?”).
Regarding his choice of subject, Dr. Havers says, “George Grant wrote a great deal on the survival of the nation-state and social traditionalism, which are very relevant concerns today.”
Political conservatism in Canada today
On August 24, the Conservative Party of Canada named its new leader, Erin O'Toole, who immediately began to outline his party’s stance on a variety of issues.
Reflecting on the direction of today’s Conservative Party of Canada in comparison with the ideas of philosopher George Grant, Dr. Havers comments:
“The question is: what exactly do conservatives want to conserve anymore? George Grant posed this question over 50 years ago when he noted how the Conservative Party of Canada was increasingly going along with the Liberal Party’s agenda. This question also came up during the recent leadership campaign. If our Tories cannot answer this question adequately, voters will wonder how exactly they differ from other parties that privilege ‘progress’ above tradition.”
We asked Dr. Havers further about the significance of George Grant to modern readers, in the following interview:
Hi, Dr. Havers. What is one takeaway that you hope readers will gain after reading your article?
One lesson to consider is Grant’s insistence that people living in liberal democracies should ask themselves: to what are they loyal? Loyalty is not the same as self-interest. We are supposed to be loyal to things that transcend our self-serving desires. In an age in which so-called technological progress seems to satisfy these desires, people often forget that they need to be loyal to greater things that inspire the cultivation of character or virtue. As Grant argued, loyalty to the sovereignty of one’s nation should take priority over being a mere consumer of goods.
Can you describe “true conservatism”?
Conservatism originally emerged as a reaction to the violence and extremism of the French Revolution. Although there are different versions of conservatism, all conservatives generally agree that the limits of human nature stand in the way of creating a perfectly just or utopian society. Specifically, human beings are not perfectly rational: we are very susceptible to sentiment, passion, intuition, and other non-rational forces.
In practical terms, the best society is one that takes these facts into account by imposing clear limits on the power of the state to change or transform its citizenry. Additionally, conservatives are willing to tolerate and even celebrate some inequality because it reflects the fact that some human beings are more talented and work harder than others. They oppose statist measures that try to create a perfect “equality” of outcomes because this goal flies in the face of human nature.
Finally, conservatives support the nation-state as the political entity best suited to protecting the traditions and freedoms of peoples with distinct identities. Globalization, if taken too far, threatens to replace the citizens of nation-states with consumers who are more loyal to brand names than to any sort of tradition.
Why would modernity be considered “excessive,” and conversely, is traditionalism necessarily safe?
Conservatives have not always had a problem with modernity. Many conservatives today adhere to the early modern (e.g., 18th century) version of liberalism, which celebrated limited government, bourgeois morality, and the market economy. In the twentieth century, however, the state acquired powers of control and surveillance over its citizens that go well beyond anything that classical liberals feared.
Big government today dictates how people are supposed to think about “diversity” and “tolerance.” Citizens who adhere to traditional mores are often vilified or ostracized if they question these ideologically loaded terms. From a conservative perspective, it is not the purpose of the state to regulate, monitor or form the consciousness of the population, even if the democratic masses meekly go along with this process.
How might George Grant comment on today’s technological trends, for example, COVID-19 contact tracing apps, or TWU’s Multi-Access (globally accessible) education?
As I point out in my article, Grant feared that modern tyranny would have a technological face. In his lifetime, he witnessed the rise of technologies that threatened to control, replace, and re-invent human nature. I suspect that today’s surveillance technologies to which you refer would not surprise him at all. Nor would it surprise him that most citizens treat these technologies as extensions of their autonomy and survival, even though these devices give the state and corporations ample opportunity to monitor people.
It is very hard to fight tyranny when the majority of the population associate technology with “freedom.” It is even more difficult to resist it when political parties on the right and the left have bought into the illusion that technology always leads to greater progress and enlightenment. This illusion dramatically contrasts with the experience of alienation and isolation that users of online “educational” technologies are suffering right now. From Grant’s perspective, if technology discourages people from cultivating what is best in human nature (e.g., the desire for community), then it is certainly not a progressive force.
Is there a viable way to be a Christian technocrat?
If being a “technocrat” means that one adheres to the ideology of technological progress, the answer is no. Technology does not necessarily enlighten or improve human beings. In fact, George Grant felt that technology was the most dangerous idol of our times. Like all other idols, it is something that human beings create without fully understanding its profound effects. Moreover, human beings reveal just how much they worship technology when they spend much of their days navigating social media. Grant was not calling for the end of technology, as if that were even possible. As a Christian, however, he urged his brethren not to confuse technological progress with the providence of God.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to find and fulfill their purpose in life. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vibrant faith community devoted to supporting vibrant leaders seeking to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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