Don Livingston discusses political devolution at Abbeville Institute

During a summer school session at the Abbeville Institute, Professor Don Livingston of Emory University addressed the dynamics of the American political spectrum. Responding to inquiries regarding the prospects of the “Right” moving the country in a conservative direction, Livingston argued that the debate often rests on a flawed premise.

He suggested that the current political struggle frequently assumes that a highly centralized federal government is inevitable. Livingston posited that rather than attempting to control the existing federal apparatus, a path toward greater freedom and prosperity lies in the devolution of political power. He noted that the centralized state has accumulated significant power and vested interests that tend to marginalize those attempting to reform it from within.