Columns

Why is liberalism so durable?

August 20, 2019 James Kalb 7

Liberalism tells us everyone should be able to do, be, and get whatever he wants, as much and as equally as possible. People believe that represents a new and higher stage in political and moral […]

Columns

Ideal societies and the Catholic vision

June 11, 2019 James Kalb 5

There is no ideal society this side of the Second Coming. Flawed people can’t create such things, and we’re all flawed, so social gains are offset by social losses. Current tendencies of thought, which reject […]

Columns

A Practical Agenda for Catholics

May 7, 2019 James Kalb 10

The Church has had a political role since Constantine. That is no surprise. Catholicism is primarily a doctrine and way of living for its adherents. But the Faith deals with basic realities that have public […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

Lenten Thoughts on Politics

April 2, 2019 James Kalb 11

Lent is a time of retreat and reflection. That can mean very different things for different people at different times in their lives. But it always means stepping back from daily preoccupations and looking at […]

Columns

Can We Turn Back the Clock?

March 19, 2019 James Kalb 9

Recently I’ve been complaining about technocratic society. I’ve also emphasized how deeply rooted its problems are. But if I’m right on the latter point, what good does complaining do? Can we really repeal the modern […]

Columns

Technology or Tradition?

December 6, 2018 James Kalb 1

In the last couple of months I’ve discussed problems arising from over-reliance on technological ways of thinking, and suggested that our response as Catholics should emphasize things that such ways of thinking leave out—the Faith, […]

Columns

Overcoming the Rule of Technology

November 20, 2018 James Kalb 6

In my previous column I discussed the modern tendency to identify rationality with observation, measurement, and technically-rational organization, all designed to achieve the goals of the actor. That is the technological approach to reason that’s […]