University of Virginia Library

Dark Cloud

In the larger sense a liberal
Republican party would serve the
open society. It would, like Mill,
defend the individual -
individualism - against the forces
of community, conformity, and the
neo-tribalism which seems to be
descending like a dark cloud over
our contemporary culture.

It would look rather to Shaw
and to the heady rationalism of the
19th century. It would not try to
make men virtuous, good, happy,
or contented. It would try to make
them free, intelligent and strong -
or, as Shaw said, Superman.