The Politics of Gratitude

Ed Feser reflects on how liberalism erodes the virtue of gratitude, yet Thanksgiving actually reconnects us with the politics of virtue necessary for building a postliberal order.

Imagine a day specially set apart to call us to practice together a virtue such as wisdom, or moderation – “Wisdom Day,” say, or “Moderation Day.” The very idea may seem odd. Yet Thanksgiving Day is precisely such a day, because thanksgiving or gratitude is a virtue. In particular, as Aquinas points out, it is a species of the virtue of justice (Summa T…