Human Nature and Political Theory

Politicians that appeal to "the will of the people" aren't telling the truth about what people want and how they behave.

Humans are, by nature, fickle creatures who don’t know what they want.

When people do think they know what they want they can barely articulate what it is.

And when they can get it, whatever it is, they eventually decide they no longer want it.

Or what they want is something they can never get.

This is how people are.

People can never just make up their minds and be satisfied.

Which highlights why liberal political theorists are wrong about human nature.

And why the political implications they draw from their flawed theory are wrong too.

In their understanding of human nature there is a common good that all people secretly want but can’t articulate.

And whatever this common good is is something that can only be made intelligible to the masses by enlightened politicians by way of their inherent superiority and paeans to ideas like equality.

Politicians call their enlightened understanding of the common good “representing the will of the people.”

Which they then argue entitles them to pass any legislation they want regardless of the consequences because only they can know what people really want.

But the problem is is that people don’t know what they really want.

So naturally even enlightened politicians can’t figure out what someone else wants.

Which means appealing to “the will of the people” as a justification for more “democracy” is illegitimate. The will of the people can’t be surmised no matter how many catechisms about equality one rehearses and recites.

But if it could be surmised maybe we’d guess people want this -- to be left to enjoy their prosperous and private lives away from self serving politicians.

Zigmund Reichenbach has an M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University and works as an advocate for less government. You can help him combat bad ideas in politics and philosophy by donating to his work at https://ko-fi.com/zigmundreichenbach .

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