
ESSAYS

The Liberal Trap
In "The Liberal Trap," Daniel Woods reveals why American politics feels broken. The term "liberal" has been weaponized to merge two contradictory belief systems: social liberalism (championing human equality and workers' rights) and economic liberalism (prioritizing corporate profits and deregulation). This impossible combination explains why politicians like Obama and Clinton sound progressive but govern conservatively. Woods traces this contradiction back to Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke, who argued against slavery while profiting from it. Modern "liberals" force the same hypocrisy on voters. Woods argues that recognizing this trap is the first step toward genuine political awakening and effective resistance to corporate domination.
In "The Liberal Trap," Daniel Woods reveals why American politics feels broken. The term "liberal" has been weaponized to merge two contradictory belief systems: social liberalism (championing human equality and workers' rights) and economic liberalism (prioritizing corporate profits and deregulation). This impossible combination explains why politicians like Obama and Clinton sound progressive but govern conservatively. Woods traces this contradiction back to Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke, who argued against slavery while profiting from it. Modern "liberals" force the same hypocrisy on voters. Woods argues that recognizing this trap is the first step toward genuine political awakening and effective resistance to corporate domination.