July 7, 2006: Progressive ...

Related post: July 6, 2006: Global Expertise or Governance? Digital Universe & ManyOne.net

What is the meaning of "Progressive"? Since it is so often used, so seldom defined, how does it fit into, for example, "a new standard of social responsibility in governance, objectives and conduct for for-profit companies."?

The Real Meaning of "Progressive" Politics -- "All of these thinkers contributed to what would become the ethical foundation of the Progressive Movement: a contempt and loathing of "individualism" " By Barry Loberfeld, FrontPageMagazine.com, Sept. 28, 04 frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15077

[....] So great was this fear of the individual that .... "Progressive education" was developed to meet the individualist threat on the juvenile level, while Progressive collectivization of the economy would meet it on the adult, with the first targets being those unregulated monoliths of "economic power" -- the corporations.

Here is where Progressive myth collides with historical reality. The myth is that these "trusts" were becoming monopolies that .... As new competitors sprang up, and as economic power was diffused throughout an expanding nation, it became apparent to many important businessmen that only the national government could [cartelize] the economy ... [I] t was not the existence of monopoly that caused the federal government to intervene in the economy, but the lack of it. (Kolko) [....]

Which raises the question of just what progressive really tells us. Something that means everything, means nothing. Even as a synonym for all things leftist, can it logically include [.... W]hat we need is a political vocabulary whose terms actually describe the ideas on the table – a proposal evidently more daunting than its modest tenor would suggest.

It is worth reading the whole article.



Progressive -- a definition from answers.com

1. Moving forward; advancing.
2. Proceeding in steps; continuing steadily by increments: progressive change.
3. Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods: a progressive politician; progressive business leadership. [....]

PROGRESSIVE IS ... Max Sawicky, MaxSpeak, You Listen! May 03, 2005

There seems to be an inordinate amount of confusion or smoke-blowing about the modern (as opposed to classical/libertarian) liberal meaning of the term in regard to Social Security.

In economics, broadly speaking progressive refers to the extent of income equality. [....]

I am sure there are more definitions of progressive ... which makes the term, along with talk about the right and the left, as used in mainstream media just about useless when talking about politics in Canada ... must remember that, myself. Anyway, the MSM tend to think progressive has positive connotations while some of us lean more toward individualism, liberty and less Big Brother government involvement and control ... as I understand the terms.