Liberalism, Civic Reformism and Democracy in American Politics

This paper argues that liberalism provides democracy with the experience of civic reformism. Without it, democracy loses any tie-argumentative or practical-to a coherent design of public policy endeavoring to provide the resources for the realization of democratic citizenship. The case for liberalism rests on an argumentative reconstruction of the function it performs before the rise of a world economic order and, more specifically, in the creation of the welfare state after the Second World War. Accordingly, liberalism defines a reformist political program: it is an emancipatory political project by virtue of its struggle for an egalitarian and universalist extension of citizenship rights. This is but a formulation of the modern idea of citizenship, conceived of as a universalizable contract of rights. At the same time, liberalism embraces a socioeconomic emancipatory project that endeavors to provide the conditions, within the institutional framework of modern societies, for the accomplishment of citizenship rights.

I've Gone Retro! (Well, at least with my new vintage bike)

Well, Christmas has come and gone and I did pick up a very nice retro, custom built one-speed bicycle. I'll try to get some pictures up soon, but it's a beauty. Think Pee-Wee Herman's bike, but with a thousand times more attitude.

Retro Bicycle Articles and Gear