Oh, I don’t know, I like all of them
I’ve always wondered what would happen if candidates for public office were asked about political philosophy. One of the more memorable examples of this occurred in 1999, during the Republican presidential primary debate in Iowa. Candidates George W. Bush, Orrin Hatch, Gary Bauer, Alan Keyes, and Steve Forbes were asked the following question: “With which political philosopher or thinker do you identify the most, and why?”
Bush, answering third, simply replied, “Christ. Because he changed my life.” Not to be outdone, Bauer and Hatch picked Jesus Christ as well (actually, Hatch referenced Abe Lincoln and Ronald Reagan too). Only Forbes, the publisher, picked an actual philosopher – John Locke.
So… who would you pick? Should politicians be expected to know at least a few political philosophers? Is naming a particular philosopher (say, Mill, Hobbes, or Rawls) a dangerous move? After all, most figures in the field are either bait for criticism or so unknown as to turn off the average voter. Either way, it’s a fun stumper question!
-Colin
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- Hobbes and religion … in Hebrew
- Survey data permanently settles philosophical question
- Secularizing the calendar!?
- Vaclav Havel interview
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