The article argues that liberalism, while not the sole cause, acts as a crucial condition for the decline of Western civilization, similar to how immunodeficiency weakens the body's ability to fight off infections. It draws on James Burnham's 'Suicide of the West,' clarifying that liberalism doesn't directly cause the decline but rather creates a vulnerability to destructive forces.
The author explains Burnham's view that liberalism systematizes the process of Western contraction and withdrawal, justifying and motivating it. Burnham distinguishes between cause and condition, likening liberalism to the latter, setting the stage for destructive forces to take hold.
The core analogy compares liberalism to immunodeficiency disorders like AIDS. Just as these disorders weaken the immune system, leaving the body susceptible to infections, liberalism weakens the social order, making it vulnerable to lethal threats that a healthier society could resist.
The article concludes by suggesting that understanding liberalism as an immunodeficiency condition provides a valuable framework for analyzing the West's current predicament. It emphasizes liberalism's role not as a direct cause but as a facilitator of decline by weakening societal resilience.