Worker and Parasite The Return of the Common Good by Stefan Borg
Dec 30, 2025
A rapid tour of post-liberal thought and its roots in theology and radical orthodoxy. They unpack why critics think liberalism self-undermines and how that yields paradoxically coercive outcomes. The conversation contrasts practical technocratic responses with doctrinal alternatives and debates whether reforms or deeper cultural sources like religion can restore social scaffolding.
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Post-Liberalism’s Core Critique
- Post-liberals deliver a sharp, consistent critique that liberalism is self-undermining by eroding social institutions and trust.
- Stefan Borg summarizes diverse thinkers (Deneen, Vermeule, British theologians) into a coherent outline of that critique.
Theological Roots Of Post Liberal Thought
- The intellectual roots of post-liberalism are theological, especially radical orthodoxy claiming liberalism secularizes and separates public from religious life.
- British movements like Blue Labour and Red Tory adapted theological critiques into political programs.
Populism Is A Symptom Not An Antidote
- Post-liberals treat populism and Trump as symptoms of liberal failure, not as genuine solutions.
- They distinguish themselves from National Conservatism, which remains fundamentally nationalist and Jeffersonian.
