Here’s a quick way to determine whether a given political idea is classically liberal or whether it is “traditionalist reactionary” (I don’t really know the name for this).
Does the political idea require a model of authority that originates in the self, the individual, and flows up? Then it is classically Liberal. Does the political idea require a model of authority that originates in God and flows down? Then it is “traditionalist reactionary”–though, in fairness, it wouldn’t be reactionary if it wasn’t out of vogue. The “God-down” model was the original political theory and modernity has subverted it.
Anyway.
The American system is classically liberal. You can tell because it supposes that authority originates in the self and flows up–you see this in the idea of “rights”, in the emphasis on sacramental voting, and in considering local government a way to represent your wishes “up” the chain. Because the American system is an Atheist system–it does not originate and center on God–it self-consciously requires a system of checks and balances. The American system knows that a moral conscience is not intrinsic to the system and so must have controls. These controls serve to delay the inevitable corruption that will happen when a political system is devoid of morality. Sometimes these controls can work for a really long time–sometimes these controls become institutions unto themselves.
The “traditionalist reactionary” political philosophy is one that originates in and centers on God and flows authority down from Him. Everyone at every step knows he is answerable to everyone up the chain from him, and must take care of everyone below him with custodial care and guardianship. This philosophy is possible because the first check and balance on power comes from our fear of God. Absent a fear of God, all other tyranny becomes not just possible, but inevitable.
This is why checks and balances imply a classically liberal system–we don’t trust ourselves and aren’t going to try to become better people, so we need other people whose job is to watch us and make sure we don’t step out of line. It would be easier to lose weight if someone was watching us all the time and telling the newspapers every time we ate something we shouldn’t. But losing weight is a matter of self conquest, and must be motivated from within. Likewise a political system fat on tyranny cannot get lean until it’s members are motivated from within to do penance and amend their lives.
AMDG
Times-Dispatch of Vichy Earth 