The conservative case for labor in America
On Point | Podcast
Deep Dive
What is the core definition of conservatism according to Saurabh Ahmari?
Conservatism is a commitment to maintaining ordered continuity, avoiding chaotic change while recognizing the need for necessary changes. It values coherence and stability over total disruption.
How does Saurabh Ahmari define the working class in modern America?
Ahmari defines the working class as those who rely solely on selling their labor power for wages, including precarious professionals like adjunct lecturers making $30,000 to $40,000 a year.
Why does Ahmari argue that capitalism is fundamentally non-conservative?
Capitalism, with its creative destruction and boom-bust cycles, disrupts social balance and ordered continuity, which are core values of conservatism. It generates inequalities in power and wealth that need to be addressed.
What historical conservative tradition does Ahmari see Trump as harkening back to?
Ahmari sees Trump as aligning with the Eisenhower-Nixon tradition, which accepted the New Deal and recognized the necessity of labor unions and a regulatory state to maintain social order.
How does Ahmari view the role of tariffs in the current economic landscape?
Ahmari sees tariffs as part of a Hamiltonian tradition of economic protectionism, which has historically been supported by both Republicans and Democrats. While tariffs alone won't solve all issues, they are part of a broader consensus on industrial policy.
What is Ahmari's vision for the relationship between labor and the Republican Party?
Ahmari envisions a Republican Party that supports labor without making labor an adjunct of the party. He hopes for an independent labor movement that can influence both parties, breaking the current dynamic where labor is tied to the Democratic Party.
What does Ahmari believe is the key to achieving bipartisan consensus on labor and economic issues?
Ahmari believes that reducing identity politics and focusing on practical, win-win solutions like universal pre-K combined with subsidies for stay-at-home parents can create a bipartisan consensus that benefits both parties and the working class.
How does Ahmari's Catholic faith influence his views on labor and capitalism?
Ahmari's Catholic faith emphasizes class reconciliation over class abolition, viewing capitalism as a necessary but flawed system that needs balance through the countervailing power of labor to achieve social harmony.
What role does Senator Hawley play in the emerging pro-labor conservatism?
Senator Hawley has been instrumental in bridging the gap between the Republican Party and labor, supporting policies like the PRO Act and intervening in strikes on behalf of workers, which has earned him the support of labor leaders like Sean O'Brien of the Teamsters.
What does Ahmari see as the biggest challenge to achieving a new bipartisan consensus on labor?
Ahmari believes that the toxic influence of identity politics on both sides of the political spectrum has been destructive and must be toned down for a new bipartisan consensus to emerge.
- Conservatism is defined as a commitment to ordered continuity.
- American labor is defined as those who rely solely on wages from their labor power.
- The definition of working class is inclusive, encompassing even those in precarious professional positions.
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