Progressivism: the proper role of government is to encourage co-operation

PGA Weblog ^

[ProgressingAmerica]

The FTC's website has a PDF file on it's servers titled "The Origins of the FTC: Concentration, Cooperation, Control", (Google Docs) which is more telling than it leads on:

Concentration and co-operation are conditions imperatively essential for industrial advance; but if we allow concentration and co-operation there must be control in order to protect the people, and adequate control is only possible through the administrative commission. Hence concentration, co-operation, and control are the key words for a scientific solution of the mighty industrial problem which now confronts this Nation.

Theodore Roosevelt, who is quoting from Charles Van Hise at the Progressive Party Convention. Notice the language used, it's consistent. Concentration, and Cooperation. This one is the interesting one, from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis: (A Wilson appointee)

The proper role of the government is to encourage not combination, but co-operation.

If encouraging combination is government's role, how would they do this? With social regulations. Nudging people, groups, and companies into "doing the right thing" according to the planners.

This notion of co-operation is an important one in progressivism, which I will explore in later detail in the future.

[ProgressingAmerica]

If anybody wants on/off the revolutionary progressivism ping list, send me a message

Progressives do not want to discuss their own history. I want to discuss their history.

"Co-operation" and "organization" are used interchangeably or complementary to each other a lot in early progressive writings.

[GraceG]

Socialism: Putting the “Co-Opt” and “Cop” in co-operation....

[Teacher317]

Yes, but this “encouragement” comes at the end of some vicious penalties... and as in EVERY other attempt on a national scale, the “Progressives” start killing millions of those who refuse to be a part of their fantasy.

[mjp]

If encouraging combination is government's role, how would they do this? With social regulations. Nudging people, groups, and companies into "doing the right thing" according to the planners.

libtards: metaphysical materialists ->determinists ->behaviorists ->control the environment ->destroy Christian influences on the environment

[JimRed]

There’s a big difference between encouraging co-operation and forcing capitulation!

[adorno]

There’s a big difference between encouraging co-operation and forcing capitulation!

With the progressives, there is no difference. "Encouraging" via government control is not much different from forced capitulation. When government has the ultimate say in anything, then, you had better be "encouraged" to do as they dictate. It's all a matter of interpretation. We see it one way, the democrats/progressives redefine terms to suit their agenda. In the end, there is no such thing as "encouraging co-operation" with progressives, since, progressives, it's about creating a "perception" and not a reality.

While you are right in the meaning of terms, and with the actual meaning of the terms regarding political and government policy, the democrats/progressives redefine terms to suit their agenda, and most people are not educated enough to know the difference.