As I do most days I woke up early and lay in bed reading news articles on my phone.
I get irritated by political commentary that relentlessly frames in terms of Left and Right... and Centre. (I should stop reading it one day.)
Being a fan of American Pragmatist philosophy I started thinking about how a Pragmatist Party might go about things.
I began writing something but got stuck. So, running out of time, I asked ChatGPT. I found its response compelling...
How a Pragmatist Party might lead the world from its current challenges
The American Pragmatist philosophers —like William James, John Dewey, Charles Sanders Peirce, and later thinkers such as Richard Rorty—offer a distinct framework for addressing the world's challenges. Here's how a "Pragmatist Party" might guide the world out of its current difficulties, focusing on what distinguishes their methods from current approaches.
Emphasizing Practical Solutions over Ideology
Pragmatists value ideas for their practical consequences, not their adherence to fixed doctrines. They reject ideological rigidity in favor of flexible, iterative solutions based on measurable outcomes.
Example: Healthcare Reform
Current approaches often stall between ideological divides: universal government-run systems vs. market-based solutions. A Pragmatist Party would implement and test regional hybrid systems—like nonprofit health cooperatives or public-private partnerships—to evaluate what works best for different populations. Policies would be adjusted iteratively based on results rather than preconceived notions.
Cultivating Democratic Participation and Deliberation
John Dewey emphasized democracy as a way of life. Pragmatists would focus on empowering citizens to engage in shaping policies, going beyond token public consultations.
Example: Housing Crises
Instead of relying solely on experts or top-down mandates, a Pragmatist approach would establish citizen assemblies to co-design housing policies. These assemblies would be given access to expert advisors and real-time data to propose innovative solutions such as modular housing or land-value taxation. Pragmatists would ensure outcomes are tested locally before broader implementation.
Promoting Experimentalism in Problem-Solving
Pragmatists treat policy-making as an ongoing experiment. They emphasize small-scale trials, continuous evaluation, and the willingness to abandon what doesn’t work.
Example: Energy Transition
While governments globally push for renewables, a Pragmatist approach might run competing energy experiments—e.g., city-level projects focusing on solar microgrids versus wind-driven hydrogen production—allowing communities to adapt the solutions that work best for their unique conditions. Pragmatists would focus less on centralized mandates and more on adaptable, modular systems.
Reframing Moral and Cultural Conflicts
William James and Richard Rorty emphasized pluralism—allowing differing values and beliefs to coexist. Pragmatists would focus on shared objectives rather than trying to "win" cultural wars.
Example: Free Speech vs. Hate Speech
Rather than framing the issue as a binary conflict, pragmatists might pilot community-based moderation systems on social media. These systems would use citizen panels to set evolving norms, prioritizing harm reduction while protecting discourse. This approach would treat online spaces as dynamic public forums requiring ongoing adjustments.
Investing in Education and Inquiry
Dewey saw education as a lifelong process vital to societal progress. Pragmatists would redesign education systems to focus on adaptability and collaboration, making them better suited to future challenges.
Example: Workforce Reskilling
Instead of reactive job training programs, a Pragmatist Party might implement a rolling model where education is interwoven into workers' lives through modular, on-demand learning. For instance, a national subscription-based system could provide ongoing access to AI, coding, and green tech skills, integrated with mentoring and real-world projects.
Experimenting with International Relations
Pragmatists would focus on diplomacy as a process of mutual experimentation and adaptation rather than adherence to fixed doctrines like unilateralism or isolationism.
Example: Conflict Resolution
In areas of intractable conflict (e.g., Israel-Palestine), Pragmatists might pilot grassroots reconciliation efforts such as binational educational institutions, co-managed resources (e.g., water), or collaborative economic zones. These experiments would focus on building interdependence through shared benefits, not just high-level political agreements.
How Pragmatists Would Do Things Differently
Pragmatists distinguish themselves by:
Emphasizing outcomes over ideologies, allowing for iterative improvement.
Treating policies as experiments, not final solutions.
Leveraging citizen engagement to create buy-in and surface local innovations.
Focusing on context-specific approachesr ather than "one-size-fits-all" fixes.
Reframing contentious debates to find common ground and bypass zero-sum conflicts.
Their methods would reshape governance, making it adaptive, inclusive, and rooted in what actually works—tested, refined, and always open to change.