Date of Award

8-1983

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Dr. William A. Ritchie

Second Advisor

Dr. Ernest E. Rossi

Third Advisor

Dr. Alan C. Isaak

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The Moral Majority claims to be nonreligious but they are actually a very religious reaction against humanism and pluralism, fighting their battle from behind a facade of legitimate moral issues. Their reaction against humanism is due to their failure to distinguish properly between religion and morality. Their reaction against pluralism is a result of the fact that pluralism has been overextended and thus weakened, making it vulnerable to attack. In place of humanism and pluralism the Moral Majority advocates more freedom: freedom from government interference and freedom to solve social problems with "moral, spiritual" solutions.

The Moral Majority could make a positive contribution to American politics by reestablishing the relative pluralism of the founding Fathers and disestablishing the philosophy of absolute pluralism.

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