F. A. Hayek in the Age of Postmodernist Tribalism

Abstract: This paper argues that the postmodern progressive ideology currently dominant in American universities is fundamentally incompatible with Friedrich Hayek’s classical liberal philosophy as articulat­ed in The Constitution of Liberty. In Hayek’s view, American institutions, particularly the philosophy and practice of constitutionalism, were an expression of the British tradition of true individualism. As Hayek observed, in the first half of the 20th century European civilization collapsed largely as a result of an intel­lectual movement that evolved in reaction to the philosophy of individualism. In recent times, America has faced waves of collectivist doctrines that have given rise to a new age of tribalism and a level of political hatred that is antithetical to the liberal ethos. Along with The Road to Serfdom, The Constitution of Liberty offers the necessary intellectual tools to elaborate an accrued analysis of the nature of these doctrines and the dangers which they pose to America’s classical liberal order. 

INTRODUCTION 

With the occasion of The Constitution of Liberty’s 65th anniversary, a critical analysis of new forms of collectivist ideologies that have emerged in the United States and other parts of the Western World seems as urgent as ever. This paper argues that the postmodern progressive ideology currently dominant in American universities is fundamentally incompatible with Friedrich Hayek’s individualist philosophy, as articulated in The Constitution of Liberty and The Road to Serfdom. It contends that contemporary progressivism—often associated with “woke culture”—promotes a form of tribalism that poses a threat to individual liberty and to the foundations of Western civilization. The first section of the paper examines the rise of tribalism in the United States. It also introduces key concepts in Hayek’s classical liberalism to illuminate why progressive identitarianism is at odds with the principles underlying the American founding and with the true individualism that Hayek defended. The second section explores the anti-liberal and antirational nature of postmodernism, drawing parallels between its philosophical assumptions and those underpinning the totalitarian ideologies of the twentieth century—namely, Nazism and communism. The final section analyzes how postmodernist ideas have become hegemonic within American academia and assesses the implications of this intellectual shift for the future of a free society. Drawing historical parallels with the rise of National Socialism in Germany, the paper argues that Friedrich Hayek’s warning about the central role of ideas and intellectuals in shaping social evolution must not be overlooked if a political order based on individual freedom is to be preserved. Finally, the paper will present some conclusions.