About The Progressive Optimist

The history of humanity is a never ending story of changing social norms and values. From protestantism to abortion rights, from abolitionism to racial equality, from women suffrage to LGBT rights - every new social idea inevitably arouses reaction and opposition. But as history demonstrates, their ultimate universal acceptance is inevitable, for these are not merely whims of a peculiar group of individuals. Behind every social truth there stands a material social reality - determined by the economic development of mankind. This is the basis of The Progressive Optimist - a project that presupposes an open-minded reader, who is willing to learn something new. Even though, by the nature of things, the obvious audience for the content provided here are the progressives, the conservatives are equally welcome.

What is the key message to be taken away from The Progressive Optimist? That there is no end of history, that there are no correct or incorrect social norms, that there is no absolute truth in social relations. Ironically, every generation tends to believe that they are the correct ones. And yet, we will be judged by the future generations in the same manner that we judge the preceding ones.

The primary thread of The Progressive Optimist consists of brief commentaries on various historical precedents. These historical examples demonstrate that all contemporary attacks on the numerous social rights and individual liberties are only temporary setbacks. Scientifically there is no basis for pessimism within the progressive camp. And will the conservatives find any value in the content of The Progressive Optimist? To the extent that history proves them that the world did not collapse as a result of the numerous social changes which have already happened before our times - it might also make them less pessimistic.

That’s why this project is Optimist. The Progressive Optimist.