The term progressive politics can encompass a broad range of ideas and policies, but its exact meaning often depends on the cultural, historical, and political context. The platform associated with progressiv e politics typically includes a combination of social, economic, and environmental policies aimed at promoting greater equality, government intervention in markets, and social justice.
However, the term is highly contested—both by those who identify with it and by critics—leading to multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions.
1. Core Ideological Themes
Progressive politics generally seeks to promote:
- Social Equality: Advocating for minority rights (racial, gender, LGBTQ+), women’s rights, and protection from discrimination.
- Economic Equality: Supporting wealth redistribution through taxation, minimum wage increases, labor protections, and universal healthcare.
- Environmental Sustainability: Climate change mitigation, green energy policies, and regulation of corporations to protect the environment.
- Government Expansion: A larger role for government in regulating markets, providing social services, and ensuring equality of opportunity.
- International Human Rights: Support for global cooperation, humanitarian aid, and opposition to authoritarian regimes.
2. U.S. Progressive Platform (Modern Context)
In the American political context, progressive politics overlaps with the left wing of the Democratic Party but is not identical to mainstream liberalism. Key organizations like the Progressive Caucus within Congress promote the following platform:
| Policy Area | Progressive Platform | Mainstream Liberal (Centrist Democrat) |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Policy | Wealth tax, universal healthcare (Medicare for All), free public college | Moderate tax increases, Obamacare expansion |
| Climate Change | Green New Deal, rapid decarbonization | Carbon taxes, incentives for clean energy |
| Policing & Criminal Justice | Defunding/reimagining policing, prison abolition reforms | Police reform with increased accountability |
| Foreign Policy | Anti-interventionist, human rights-based diplomacy | Pro-NATO, intervention in humanitarian crises |
| Corporate Regulation | Breaking up monopolies (e.g., Big Tech), worker co-ops | Stricter regulations, but not necessarily breaking up companies |
| Immigration | Decriminalizing border crossings, pathways to citizenship | Border security with DACA protections |
Champions in the U.S.: Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren.
3. European and Global Context
Outside the U.S., progressivism is more synonymous with social democracy or the center-left. European progressives often advocate:
- Universal healthcare
- Stronger labor protections
- Climate action
- Free or subsidized higher education
- Robust social welfare states
Notable parties:
- UK’s Labour Party (left wing)
- Germany’s Green Party
- Spain’s Podemos
- Canada’s New Democratic Party
4. Critiques of Progressivism
Progressivism often draws criticism from both the left and right:
| Critique | From the Left | From the Right |
|---|---|---|
| Neoliberal Complicity | Focuses too much on identity politics while neglecting economic justice | Seeks excessive government intervention |
| Cultural Authoritarianism | Insufficiently radical in challenging corporate power | Imposes speech codes, undermines traditional culture |
| Globalism | Supports international institutions that perpetuate inequality | Threatens national sovereignty |
| Postmodern Moral Relativism | Fails to challenge capitalism in favor of symbolic policies | Undermines traditional moral values and objective truth |
5. The “Progressive” Label as a Political Weapon
In the American right-wing media ecosystem, especially under the influence of figures like Donald Trump or Tucker Carlson, “progressivism” is increasingly used as a pejorative, catch-all term for anything perceived as:
- Leftist or liberal
- Globalist
- Elitist
- Anti-traditional
- Morally relativistic
- Authoritarian (through cancel culture or speech policing)
This usage flattens the complexity of progressive politics into “everything we don’t like”, as many leftists have pointed out. However, it also points out the self-contradictory stand against authoritarian regimes while supporting a “Democratic Socialist” version which is very similar, of not identical to the regimes they oppose.
6. Postmodernism Connection
A more sophisticated conservative critique (articulated by thinkers like Jordan Peterson or Rod Dreher) argues that modern progressive politics is steeped in postmodernism—rejecting objective truth in favor of subjective identity-based narratives. This is especially applied to:
- Gender theory
- Critical race theory
- Deconstruction of national or religious traditions
7. Conclusion: What Does Progressive Politics Really Include?
A balanced summary might be:
| Definition | Advocates | Critics |
|---|---|---|
| Idealistic Pursuit of Equality | Bernie Sanders, Greta Thunberg | Jordan Peterson, Rod Dreher |
| Technocratic Expansion of Government | Elizabeth Warren | Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán |
| Cultural Deconstruction | Judith Butler, Michel Foucault (intellectual roots) | Douglas Murray, Ben Shapiro |
| Weaponized Political Brand | Democratic Socialists of America | American right-wing media |
Final Take
The core tension of progressive politics is the balance between idealism and authoritarianism—whether its push for equality leads to greater freedom or centralized control. However, their support for statist solutions (“Democratic Socialism”) is nearly identical to the authoritarian regimes they supposedly oppose.
As I will suggest in the next post, a better term encompassing the more extreme and objectionable features of progressivism according to conservative critics is Postmodern Authoritarian Utopianism (PAU).