The End of Utopianism
Government, ultimately, is a finite institution; its limits are set not what we want it to do, but what it is systemically able to do, the institutional restraints inherent in all systems. Utopianism has created a sense of unreality, a belief that government is no longer subject to institutional restraints, but can do anything and everything. This unreality has caused government to ignore the consequences of its actions. We have run a deficit for most of sixty years; did we expect that the money would never have to be paid back?
Even more damaging, however, is that when unreality causes government to attempt that which it could not do, it was unable to do that which it must. Many of the problems we face today are difficulties associated with the flow of society, problems we inevitably would have faced in one form or another. To say that utopianism is the reason for these problems is not to say that utopianism caused these problems; utopianism is but one skein of history among many. Rather it is to say that because government was chasing an unattainable goal, it ignored the realities of a modern industrial world. For example, after World War II we helped Europe and Japan rebuild, creating competitors in the world market. Realistically, our government should have also worked to keep domestic manufacturers competitive. Instead, our government implemented a tax system designed to limit domestic competitiveness. In causing our government to be unable to recognize and deal with the reality of an industrialized world, utopianism is responsible for many of the problems we face today.
This is not to suggest that the period of utopianism was without worth; all periods play a part in history, and utopianism was no different. The right actions may be taken for the wrong reasons. In the thirties the government needed to develop responsibilities to deal with the power of industrialism, and the utopian attitude that more government is always better has allowed us to do that, to find out what government can do. Utopianism was the wrong reason to extend the responsibilities of government, and yet it had the right effect; much of what was done under its auspices was needed. The excesses of utopianism also played a part in the context of history. Just as the Depression was needed to highlight the dangers of too little government responsibility, so utopianism has highlighted the dangers of too much. Utopianism has helped us learn what government cannot do. Considering the limited role our government fulfilled in the twenties, one can only conclude the period of utopianism was necessary for the country.
However, a point is reached when the wrong reasons will no longer produce the right results. We are now at a point where continued utopianism is dangerous. There are definite responsibilities which our government must see to. The problems we face today which can only get worse if left untended. If our country is to deal with them, we must move beyond utopianism, allowing our government to once again work within the realities of an industrialized world. Half of knowing what you can do is knowing what you cannot do, and for government to do what it must, it must stop attempting what it cannot. The responsibilities of government must once again be redefined, by removing the influences of utopianism. To do so requires a belief: we must once again believe in the equality of humankind. We must once again believe that people are responsible for themselves. It is only when we once again believe that people can choose for themselves, can take control of their lives, that we will no longer feel it is necessary for government to choose for us.