politics
March 26, 2026
Where is the arc of justice headed?
Former President Barack Obama liked to quote the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s line that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Of course, what was an expression of optimism for the moral reformer King was more in the nature of a victory spike of the football for a competitor in a zero-sum electoral contest like Obama.
TL;DR
- The belief that history bends toward justice is contrasted with the reality of historical decline, as seen in ancient civilizations and empires.
- American exceptionalism, unlike European notions of decline, has historically been interpreted as a story of continuous winning and progress.
- The Democratic party's historical association with progress, based on expanding government, is challenged by the success of market-friendly policies and private sector innovation.
- Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan suggests a return to a past ideal, leaving Republicans divided on the meaning of progress.
- Democrats have shifted focus from economics to cultural issues, but their confidence in progress is challenged by public opinion on issues like abortion and immigration.
- The article posits that the arc of history moves cyclically and can trend in a malign direction, citing rising antisemitism on both the left and the right.
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