The Rhetoric of Reaction
The Rhetoric of Reaction: Perversity, Futility, Jeopardy is a book by theorist Albert O. Hirschman which analyzes the rhetoric of conservatism that has been used to oppose social change. In his historical survey, he finds three reactionary theses have been deployed frequently: perversity, futility, and jeopardy. He says the theses and their corresponding narratives are simplistic, flawed, and cut off debate. He then discusses three progressive theses, also flawed, and proposes a new framework.
Summary
Hirschman notes that he began his study in the mid-1980s during "the ascendant and triumphant conservative and neoconservative movement." He takes as a starting point a famous 1949 lecture by English sociologist Thomas Humphrey Marshall on the "development of citizenship". Marshall's lecture presented a three-century progression in which the civil, political, and social dimensions of citizenship had gradually moved forward in the West until finally being achieved. Hirschman argues, however, that Marshall's notion of an orderly advance was undermined by its omission of the disruptive role played throughout by reactionary backlash: Hirschman then proceeds to analyze three reactionary theses, which he believes have been used repeatedly to thwart progress. As historical examples, he cites the conservative response to the French Revolution, the fight for universal suffrage in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the creation of the welfare state in his own time.Reactionary theses
Hirschman describes the reactionary theses thus:- According to the Perversity Thesis, any purposive action to improve some feature of the political, social, or economic status quo only serves, perversely, to exacerbate the very condition one wishes to remedy.
- The Futility Thesis holds that attempts at social transformation will be unavailing, that they will fail to "make a dent" in the problem, and the motives of those who keep attempting futile reforms are suspect.
- The Jeopardy Thesis states that the risk of the proposed change is too great as it imperils some previous, precious accomplishment.
Progressive theses
Next, Hirschman describes progressive theses which he regards as similarly misguided:- The Synergy Illusion – the idea that all reforms work together and reinforce each other, rather than sometimes being incompatible;
- The Imminent-Danger Thesis – the belief that urgent action is necessary to avoid disaster, and any delays or inaction could be catastrophic;”Having History on One’s Side” – a faith in the inevitability of one’s preferred outcome, e.g., "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." – Martin Luther King Jr.