Progressivism’s Rejection of Liberty Ignores History Nation’s Founders Understood

One hundred years ago, to celebrate America’s 150th birthday, President Calvin Coolidge gave a now severely underappreciated speech in which he responded to the new political movement of the time: progressivism. Progressives argued that social progress required abandoning the — as they viewed them — outdated principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Coolidge responded that those principles were universal and final.

“If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final,” Coolidge said. If one were to abandon the Declaration’s principles, “the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people.” Justice Clarence Thomas, in a recent speech celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration, summarized Coolidge’s point: “Progressivism . . . is retrogressive.”

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Timothy Harper

Timothy Harper is director of constitutional studies at Advancing American Freedom.

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One hundred years ago, to celebrate America’s 150th birthday, President Calvin Coolidge gave a now severely underappreciated speech in which he responded to the new political movement of the time: progressivism. Progressives argued that social progress required abandoning the — as they viewed them — outdated principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Coolidge responded that those principles were universal and final.

“If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final,” Coolidge said. If one were to abandon the Declaration’s principles, “the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people.” Justice Clarence Thomas, in a recent speech celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration, summarized Coolidge’s point: “Progressivism . . . is retrogressive.”