Changes

In his 1914 book ''Progressive Democracy,'' Croly contested the thesis that the liberal tradition in the United States was inhospitable to anticapitalist alternatives. He drew from the American past a history of resistance to capitalist wage relations that was fundamentally liberal, and he reclaimed an idea that Progressives had allowed to lapse - that working for wages was a lesser form of liberty. Increasingly skeptical of the capacity of social welfare legislation to remedy social ills, Croly argued that America's liberal promise could be redeemed only by syndicalist reforms involving workplace democracy. O'Leary (1994) shows his liberal goals were subordinate to his commitment to [[republicanism]].

In his 1914 book ''Progressive Democracy,'' Croly contested the thesis that the liberal tradition in the United States was inhospitable to anticapitalist alternatives. He drew from the American past a history of resistance to capitalist wage relations that was fundamentally liberal, and he reclaimed an idea that Progressives had allowed to lapse - that working for wages was a lesser form of liberty. Increasingly skeptical of the capacity of social welfare legislation to remedy social ills, Croly argued that America's liberal promise could be redeemed only by syndicalist reforms involving workplace democracy. O'Leary (1994) shows his liberal goals were subordinate to his commitment to [[republicanism]].

==Early Life==

==Early Life==

Herbert Croly's parents were David Croly and Jane Croly.  His father David was a devoted [[Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte|Comtist]] and raised Herbert that way.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Croly|first1=Herbert|title=Memories of Jane Cunningham Croly, "Jenny June". ''From a Testimonial by Herbert D. Croly''|date=1904|publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons|location=New York|pages=61–63}}</ref>

Herbert Croly's parents were David Croly and Jane Croly.  His father David was a devoted [[Auguste Comte|Comtist]] and raised Herbert that way.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Croly|first1=Herbert|title=Memories of Jane Cunningham Croly, "Jenny June". ''From a Testimonial by Herbert D. Croly''|date=1904|publisher=G. P. Putnam's Sons|location=New York|pages=61–63}}</ref>

==Rights==

==Rights==

Croly called for the adoption of Hamiltonian means to achieve Jeffersonian ends. To achieve this synthesis, however, Croly rejected Hamilton's arguments for institutional checks on a pure national democracy, and Jefferson's arguments for limited government. Croly rejected these limits because he saw them as too closely tied to the doctrine of individual rights. Croly wanted to transcend the doctrine of individual rights in order to create a national political community, one that would be forged by a strong but democratic national government. Howewer, Croly failed to see the connection between Jefferson's belief in democracy and his belief in limited government, and he failed to see the connection between Hamilton's belief in a strong national government and his call for institutional checks on democracy. Thus, although many American reform movements have their roots in the rhetoric of Croly's progressivism, to be effective they have had to accommodate the principles of liberal individualism that Croly wished to eradicate.<ref>David K. Nichols, "The Promise of Progressivism: Herbert Croly and the Progressive Rejection of Individual Rights" ''Publius'' 1987 17(2): 27-39</ref>

Croly called for the adoption of Hamiltonian means to achieve Jeffersonian ends. To achieve this synthesis, however, Croly rejected Hamilton's arguments for institutional checks on a pure national democracy, and Jefferson's arguments for limited government. Croly rejected these limits because he saw them as too closely tied to the doctrine of individual rights. Croly wanted to transcend the doctrine of individual rights in order to create a national political community, one that would be forged by a strong but democratic national government. Howewer, Croly failed to see the connection between Jefferson's belief in democracy and his belief in limited government, and he failed to see the connection between Hamilton's belief in a strong national government and his call for institutional checks on democracy. Thus, although many American reform movements have their roots in the rhetoric of Croly's progressivism, to be effective they have had to accommodate the principles of liberal individualism that Croly wished to eradicate.<ref>David K. Nichols, "The Promise of Progressivism: Herbert Croly and the Progressive Rejection of Individual Rights" ''Publius'' 1987 17(2): 27-39</ref>