Lakoff’s Models and Their Political Implications
Strict Father Model
Regarding political issues, George Lakoff’s theory can explain the dynamics of the state and its citizens. For example, the Strict Father Model is a conventional nuclear family where the father is mostly in charge of the home’s management (Lakoff, 1995). The mother’s role is to support the father and assist in carrying out his ideas of what needs to be undertaken (Lakoff, 1995).
The father is primarily responsible for determining the overall family rules. The adage “Father knows best” is what gives the statement its power (Lakoff, 1995, p.10). Conservatives criticize the government’s interference in people’s lives with the same anger as meddling parents, which makes conservatives have antipathy toward the authorities.
Nurturant Parent Model
In contrast, the Nurturant Parent Model is a household with one or two parents. The ideal number is two, although this is not always achievable. This paradigm is based on the basic experiences of being loved and cared for, having one’s needs for love connections satisfied, pursuing happiness, and gaining value from one’s community and from showing affection and concern for others (Lakoff, 1995). Therefore, while in the Strict Father Model, the children, or citizens, have to obey the moral orders of the father or government, in the Nurturant Parent Model, the father prioritizes the well-being and happiness of children.
Historical Overview of Abortion Laws in the United States
Among the issues that can be analyzed with Lakoff’s theory is abortion. This practice was legal until “quickening” in the 19th century and earlier (Winny, 2022). However, in 1857, the American Medical Association launched a letter-writing campaign to urge state legislators to outlaw the practice, targeting unlicensed abortion clinics (Winny, 2022). They argued that life starts at conception instead of quickening, since this is the general agreement among doctors (Winny, 2022).
The campaign of the American Medical Association was a success. With the end of World War II, this perspective started to lose support (Winny, 2022). In 1965, illicit abortions were linked to 17% of recorded fatalities connected to pregnancy and delivery (Winny, 2022). From 1963 through 1965, a rubella outbreak shifted public opinions again, returning to more tolerant abortion legislation (Winny, 2022). To safeguard women’s health, the Roe v. Wade decision made abortion lawful in 1973 (Winny, 2022). However, even nowadays, the abortion laws continue to be changed.
Liberal and Conservative Positions on Abortion
Liberals and conservatives have taken different positions on the issue of abortion. In the case of the former, it is believed that “women seeking abortion are either women who want to take control of their lives or teenage children needing help” (Lakoff, 1995, p.15). In this case, liberals support women and their rights. In contrast, “the conservative position on abortion is a consequence of the view of women that comes out of the strict family model” (Lakoff, 1995, p.11). As a result, conservatives do not support or promote abortion since they deem it immoral.
Applying Parental Models to Abortion Ethics
When applying the Strict Father Model and the Nurturant Parent Model to the issue of abortion, the approaches differ. On the one hand, the strict father would be expected to maintain moral values and protect his children, positing that a fetus has rights. On the contrary, a nurturant father would be expected to support liberal positions and protect the children’s autonomy and well-being. It is believed that women have the right to decide for themselves what they should do to their bodies.
Applying Conservative Metaphors
Lastly, there are both conservative and liberal metaphors that can be applied to the issue of abortion. Conservative groups’ views, adhering to the Strict Father Model, can be explained through metaphors of Moral Order, Moral Strength, Moral Self-interest, and Moral Authority. In the case of the Moral Order, the conservative position would be based on the order that society must have specific rules and boundaries, without which there would be no order (Lakoff, 1995).
As for Moral Strength, it is believed that strength is required to resist temptation and break the rules (Lakoff, 1995). As believed by conservatives, pregnancies of teenagers most often result from “lust and carelessness” (Lakoff, 1995, p.11). Then, Moral Self-interest posits that people should act in their best interest, which is linked to the well-being of others (Lakoff, 1995). In this situation, by adhering to the rules and performing moral obligations, others will do the same.
Finally, Moral Authority is based on the idea that deviance of any kind disrespects the order and should be punishable (Lakoff, 1995). In the case of abortion, conservative people believe that killing an unborn child should be punishable.
Applying Liberal Metaphors
In comparison, metaphors of the liberal perspectives include Moral Empathy, Moral Social Nurturance, Moral Fair Distribution, and Moral Responsibility. When considering Moral Empathy, liberal ideas are based on the belief that understanding what other people feel is imperative and enlightening (Lakoff, 1995). In terms of Moral Social Nurturance, it is argued that social ties are vital, and one has a responsibility to maintain them in order to provide for the well-being of others (Lakoff, 1995).
Moral fair distribution can be explained as the rights being fairly distributed (Lakoff, 1995). In the case of abortions, women should, therefore, not be limited in their rights. Finally, Moral Responsibility implies that people should focus on helping each other (Lakoff, 1995). Therefore, instead of limiting women’s rights, one should understand their perspective and support them in their decisions.
References
Lakoff, G. (1995). Metaphor, morality, and politics, or, why conservatives have left liberals in the dust. Social Research, 62(2), 177-213. Web.
Winny, A. (2022). A brief history of abortion in the U.S. Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health. Web.