The American political landscape is currently defined by a profound struggle over the nature, legitimacy, and scope of its administrative apparatus. As discussed in a recent conversation between historian Anne Kornhauser, journalist Doug Saunders, and host Metta Spencer, the United States is grappling with the consequences of an “inflection point” regarding its governing institutions. This essay explores the historical development of what Kornhauser terms “statist liberalism,” the dilemmas inherent in the growth of the administrative state, and the contemporary challenges posed by its overt politicization and systematic dismantling.
To understand the current crisis, one must look back to the 1930s. During the Great Depression, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration, facing catastrophic economic circumstances, engaged in a self-conscious project to redefine liberalism. Moving away from the moralistic underpinnings of the earlier “Progressive” movement—notable for initiatives like Prohibition—the New Deal forged a version of liberalism centered on an activist central government.
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