Progress is another manifestation of liberty because it confronts individual rights with the collective. Progress causes dramatic changes in the status quo, so if a political system is focused on the group, and since most people are naturally resistant to change, they will hinder and stifle progress. However, in a liberty-based political system, individuals are the catalyst of progress, so it happens automatically unless specifically suppressed by the Rule Of Law.
Planned-economy socialism demands that science must serve the interests of the community. It also discourages outside influences that may disrupt their totalitarian planning: jobs that were once useful become obsolete, people that were once knowledgeable become naïve, carefully balanced command-economies topple.
Conservative forces are also opposed to progress but for a different reason – progress brings change that may conflict with mystic beliefs, traditions, or disrupt social hierarchies. Both Socialist and Conservative regimes fear progress, both scientific and philosophical.
Because individuals in a liberty-society may possibly improve their own personal positions through progress, they embrace it. A healthy liberal society will grow, far outpacing a collectivist society. In a relatively short time, the obsolescence of the group-oriented society will be clearly apparent, shortly after that their economy will become unsustainable, ultimately leading to their collapse. Nothing exemplifies the supremacy of the individual over the group like progress.
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