Sociology and Classical Liberalism

Abstract

—————— ✦ —————— he sociology profession in the United States is a large tent, displaying methods, purposes, and topics in great variety. Variety is severely truncated, however, in the matter of political ideology. It has long been observed that sociologists range from center to far left (in all varieties). There have never been more than a few classical liberals, libertarians, and conservatives in sociology since the days of William Graham Sumner. Today, their presence is nil, as shown by our recent survey of American Sociological Association (ASA) members. The classical-liberal character is virtually absent, and any few classical-liberal denizens probably keep their views at least half hidden. We venture to say that self-reinforcing sorting mechanisms now make the discipline unapproachable by anyone who is unabashedly classically liberal. We advocate the development of a classical-liberal character in sociology. Even social democrats should recognize classical liberalism as a venerable tradition. They should recognize that its antistatist sensibilities remain a vibrant and valuable part of the general political culture. To say that classical liberalism is underrepresented in sociology would be a vast understatement. Forbidden might be more fitting. The lack of classical liberalism, in our view, has worked to the detriment of sociology and the public purposes that sociology presumably should be fulfilling. Some people may think that sociology and classical liberalism just don’t mix. Leftist sociologists may suspect that the “individualism” of classical liberals blinds them