Dr. Herb London Defends Classical Western Civilization

Dr. Herb London, president of the London Center for Policy Research and the former John M. Olin Professor of Humanities at NYU, gave a lecture at The King’s College on March 12 entitled “A Defense of Western Civilization.” Defense had a twofold meaning in the lecture. On the one hand, London provided several reasons why classical Western Civilization is worthy of preservation. On the other hand, London encouraged his audience to partake in an active defense of classical Western Civilization, whether it be in the realms of politics, entertainment, or business.

In the first half of his lecture, London laid out what he considers to be the superior distinctive conditions of Western Civilization: the protection of individual rights, the rule of law in conjunction with those rights, the free market, and the protection of individual conscience. This condition of the protection of conscience, London explained, is an environment “where people can express their views about religion without the fear of someone telling them, ‘This is unacceptable’” and shutting down the conversation altogether.

In the second half of his lecture, London stated that Western Civilization is now facing civilizational conflicts, both internally and externally. He mentioned that some of the obvious external threats come from militant Islam, namely the three symbols of radical Islam: Sharia law, jihad, and the Caliphate. He insisted that this external threat will not disappear because radical Islam’s hostility is directed at some of the distinctive conditions of Western Civilization, such as categorical rights and individual rights.

The internal threats to Western Civilization, London stated, are perhaps even more devastating: nationalism, relativism, debasement of culture, decadence of affluence, extreme environmentalism, and the cult of personality.

Throughout the lecture, London argued that the values and conditions of Western Civilization he described could not exist apart from Christian values. These Christian values were once understood and practiced by most Americans, London said. However, as more Americans increasingly partake in base forms of entertainment and remain ignorant to the conditions that make their lifestyles possible, what was once common knowledge is at risk of being culturally forgotten.

At the end of his lecture, London noted the unique position and remarkable opportunities that students of The King’s College have in several sectors of culture shaping. He encouraged his audience to take up the defense of Western Civilization in a time when its distinctive conditions are in peril.