ABSTRACT
This chapter distinguishes between philosophical liberalism and political liberalism. Philosophical liberalism takes account of complexity, contradiction, and paradox in human affairs and human character. Political liberalism, by contrast, is often prone to reducing complexity by stereotyping people and political positions. Since egalitarianism and competitiveness tend to be polarized in political discourse, with liberals taking the egalitarian side, there is the potential for political liberals to seem self-righteous. This can lead to a form of elitism that can be off-putting in dialogue, undermining and contradicting the pretension to openness and egalitarian values. Political conservatives, especially those of relatively low social class, are often dismissed by political liberals to the point of caricature and even denial of their existence. Thus, many politically liberal people in the United States were shocked, and continue to be shocked, at the presence of many millions of people who voted for Donald Trump. The perils of political liberalism have to do with blindness to enactments of elitism and self-defeating dismissal of those who differ.
