Moral Politics: What Conservatives Know That Liberals don't

Abstract

Taking a look at current thought about political and moral ideas, this book analyzes political discussion to find that the family - especially the ideal family - is the most powerful metaphor in politics. Revealing how family-based moral values determine views on such diverse issues as crime, gun control, taxation, social programmes, and the environment, George Lakoff looks at how conservatives and liberals link morality to politics through the concept of family and how these ideals diverge. Arguing that conservatives have exploited the connection between morality, the family, and politics, while liberals have failed to recognize it, Lakoff explains why the conservative moral position has not been effectively challenged. A warning to political pundits on both the left and the right, this work seeks to redefine how Americans think and talk about politics.