Suppose I'm a Saint-Simonian. I've always liked to see the state divided into sovereign and administrative sides. I see the great challenge of politics as bringing together enough competing important interests to support a state or prevent independent centers of power. Like church or aristocracy. It is best to incorporate them into the state. In that way I'm a pluralist. Society is not composed of abstract individuals, but social groups. I don't see things in terms of class only, but more in terms of equal dignity to the class without property and largest in number. The harmony of class interests is what I'm into. Politics as I see it evolves more and more into a struggle for identity. Of the recognition of unique interests in the state. A successful state should reflect the people. Not atomically, but in moral terms. Though I am a fan of strong leadership and a strong state above these interests. United by common morality, and able to subdue independent power sources, mass discontent, insurgency, and foreign invasion.
Once we figure that out, we can put society on an incline as Louis Blanc said. That is the "easier" side of politics in terms of figuring out what we want. It is course difficult to make it work. I do think that at points of history there comes a settled consensus of what a civilization should be.
Above all, I believe in the market economy but not the market society. Moral and social concerns should trump economic concerns. I don't pretend like socialists do that capitalism is fundamentally flawed or doomed. It works well for what it does. But like Irving Kristol I don't give it the third cheer because it can override social and moral concerns. And the other cheer for personal freedom I'm not always sure is warranted. Freedom is not a universal right.
I suppose I'm a modernist conservative.
Reject historical materialism: Morality matters.
Reject radical individualism and egalitarianism: Which go hand in hand.
Embrace the strong state.
A limited pluralism
Market capitalism, division of labor, specialization good
Civil religion
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