"Progressive" in the US - Stave One: Age of Enlightenment through Industrial Revolution.

[robertpaulsen]

5. Very informative; William Sumner sounds like Ayn Rand.

Philosophically, they sound like they're on the same page. Doesn't matter whether Sumner publicly embraced Social Darwinism or not, what he's preaching is the end result of haves making sure they have more. Rand took this concept to the next level in the following century, defending psychopathic behavior in support of "Superman" ideals.

The labels tend to change over the years to the point of seeming interchangeable (is there really a difference between a neo-liberal and a neo-conservative?) but you can always tell which team they're really playing for by what they're willing to do for those at the bottom end of the social scale.