Pragmatic Humanism

Pragmatic Humanism
The Hexagon of Pragmatic Humanism: This conceptual diagram illustrates the six foundational principles of Nouvelle Alexandrie's governance philosophy.
Core information
Founders	Enrique Jimenez
Founded	1726 AN
Founder origin	Nouvelle Alexandrie
Predecessor	Traditional Humanism
Country	Nouvelle Alexandrie
Classification
Category	Political
Subcategory	Governance philosophy
Position	Center-right
Values	Disciplined governance Meritocratic advancement Strategic economic planning Technological sovereignty Cultural cohesion Strategic independence
Goals	National prosperity through ordered development Technological self-sufficiency Strategic independence
Influence
Influenced by	Traditional Humanism Naval strategic doctrine Almagrite thought
Influences	Federal Humanist Party Force 1752 initiative New Alexandrian governance model
Related	Technocracy Managed democracy State capitalism
Opposed	Pure market fundamentalism Radical individualism
Organizations and representation
Political parties	Federal Humanist Party
Organizations	Institute for Strategic Studies
International	Limited influence in Raspur Pact nations
Cultural elements
Publications	"The Disciplined State: Prosperity Through Order" (1726 AN) "Strategic Governance: Lessons from the Maritime Domain" (1736 AN) "Pragmatic Humanism: A New Approach for a New Century" (1740 AN) "Strategic Outlook Report" (annual since 1735 AN)
Notable thinkers	Enrique Jimenez
Other information
Time period	1726 AN to present
Current status	Active

Pragmatic Humanism, also known as "Humanism with New Alexandrian characteristics", is a political philosophy and governance framework developed by New Alexandrian naval officer and theorist Enrique Jimenez in the early 1720's. First comprehensively outlined in Jimenez's seminal work "The Disciplined State: Prosperity Through Order" (1726 AN), Pragmatic Humanism represents a significant evolution of traditional Humanist ideology, emphasizing practical governance principles and strategic development over purely ideological considerations.

The philosophy has been further developed and refined by notable FHP theorists including Deputies Carlos Mantovani and Sofia Herrera, as well as Secretary of Justice Jennifer Gonzalez. Premier Juan Pablo Jimenez has been particularly influential in applying these principles to national governance, while Defense Secretary Jose Manuel Montero has adapted them to military doctrine. The philosophy has substantially influenced political thought in Nouvelle Alexandrie and has gained adherents in several Raspur Pact nations such as Oportia and Natopia.

Core principles

" All human achievement is conditional upon the prior and continuous success of a group in securing itself against the relentless pressures of a world that remains, in essence, defined by collaborative predation."

—Alexander Melas, 1750 AN

Pragmatic Humanism asserts that human flourishing forms the ultimate moral end, achieved through a balance of individual liberty and collective responsibility within strong, cohesive nation-states. It advocates for robust civic institutions that foster national unity through shared values and public participation rather than ethnic identity, while maintaining that human interests must take precedence in policy decisions affecting other species or artificial intelligences.

Embracing market economies as powerful engines for innovation and prosperity, Pragmatic Humanism nevertheless supports strategic state intervention to ensure economic dynamism serves human wellbeing rather than narrow interests. The philosophy rejects both utopian idealism and moral relativism, instead promoting evidence-based policy-making that acknowledges human nature's complexities while striving to cultivate higher potential through education, cultural development, and technological progress governed by humanistic values rather than purely technical considerations. This approach seeks to harness humanity's competitive drive within frameworks that channel it toward collective advancement rather than destructive conflict, viewing national greatness as measured by citizens' opportunities for meaningful achievement and dignified participation in society.

Disciplined governance

Central to Pragmatic Humanism is the concept of disciplined governance, a system where political leadership maintains clear vision and direction while professional civil servants implement policies with technical expertise and minimal political interference. Jimenez argues that this separation creates institutional resilience and allows for both democratic accountability and administrative effectiveness.

As Jimenez writes in "The Disciplined State": "The political leader charts the course, while the professional navigator ensures the ship reaches its destination regardless of changing political winds." This principle has been particularly influential in shaping Nouvelle Alexandrie's civil service reforms and the structure of its federal bureaucracy.

Meritocratic advancement

Pragmatic Humanism places strong emphasis on meritocratic systems for identifying, developing, and promoting talent throughout society. Unlike traditional aristocratic or purely democratic systems, Jimenez advocated for rigorous, objective mechanisms to identify capable individuals regardless of background and position them where their abilities could best serve national interests.

The philosophy promotes competitive examinations, performance-based evaluations, and specialized education as essential tools for creating a merit-based society. Jimenez argued that "true equality is not uniformity of outcome but uniformity of opportunity for advancement based on demonstrated ability." This principle directly influenced the modernization of the Federal Naval Academy during Jimenez's tenure as Secretary of Naval Affairs and has shaped educational reforms throughout Nouvelle Alexandrie.

Strategic economic planning

Rather than embracing either pure state control or unfettered markets, Pragmatic Humanism advocates for strategic economic planning with selective market liberalization. This "guided market" approach maintains that the state should actively direct and coordinate development in strategic sectors while allowing market forces to operate in others.

Jimenez outlined this concept in his 1736 AN essay "Strategic Governance: Lessons from the Maritime Domain": "The state must identify and nurture those industries essential to national security and long-term prosperity, while allowing competitive markets to drive innovation in sectors where security concerns are less acute." This approach has been implemented in Nouvelle Alexandrie's industrial policy, particularly its defense and technology sectors.

Technological sovereignty

Pragmatic Humanism places particular emphasis on technological development as a national priority, arguing that true independence in the modern era requires indigenous technological capabilities. This principle goes beyond mere acquisition of foreign technology to emphasize the development of domestic research, development, and production capabilities.

In "The Disciplined State," Jimenez asserts that "nations which cannot produce their own technological foundations will inevitably become vassals to those that can." This principle strongly influenced the Force 1752 initiative's focus on developing indigenous technology and has shaped Nouvelle Alexandrie's significant investments in research and development across multiple sectors.

Cultural cohesion

Unlike the cultural relativism found in some liberal traditions or the extreme nativism of ultranationalist movements, Pragmatic Humanism advocates for cultural cohesion through shared values and national education. This approach acknowledges cultural diversity while emphasizing the importance of core national values and identity.

Jimenez argued that "a nation cannot maintain its course without a shared understanding of its destination." This principle has influenced Nouvelle Alexandrie's national education curriculum and its approach to integrating the diverse cultural traditions within the Federation into a coherent national identity.

Strategic independence

The final core principle of Pragmatic Humanism is military preparedness and strategic independence. Unlike isolationism, strategic independence does not reject international engagement but rather emphasizes maintaining sufficient self-reliance to ensure national security regardless of changing international circumstances.

Jimenez's naval background heavily influenced this principle, as he observed how maritime nations without credible naval forces quickly became subject to the interests of those with stronger fleets. This principle has shaped Nouvelle Alexandrie's defense posture and its emphasis on maintaining robust military capabilities even during periods of international cooperation.

Departure from traditional Humanism

While Pragmatic Humanism draws upon the foundations of traditional Humanism as developed within the Nationalist & Humanist Party, it represents a significant evolution from its ideological ancestor.

Traditional Humanism placed significant emphasis on human supremacy and the struggle against non-human sapient competitor species. In contrast, Pragmatic Humanism shifts focus toward institutional excellence and pragmatic policymaking, with less emphasis on human supremacy. Jimenez's writings acknowledge humanity's unique position but frame it primarily in terms of responsibilities rather than entitlements. This moderation has made Pragmatic Humanism more accessible to moderate politicians and constituencies who might otherwise reject traditional Humanist rhetoric.

Empirical policy formation

Where traditional Humanism often proceeded from ideological first principles, Pragmatic Humanism emphasizes empirical analysis and evidence-based policymaking. Jimenez's approach studies successful governance models across different societies and extracts applicable principles regardless of their ideological origins.

This empirical approach is evident in "The Disciplined State," which features detailed case studies of successful governance models from various nations, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses without ideological prejudice. This methodology has made Pragmatic Humanism more adaptable to different contexts and more resistant to dogmatic thinking.

Balanced economic view

Traditional Humanism often favored corporatist economic models with significant state intervention. While Pragmatic Humanism maintains elements of strategic economic coordination, it balances this with recognition of market mechanisms' efficiency in many sectors. Jimenez's economic thought emphasizes identifying which sectors require strategic guidance and which will benefit more from market competition, creating a more nuanced approach than either pure state control or pure market fundamentalism.

Influence and implementation

New Alexandrianism

New Alexandrianism is a sociopolitical and cultural movement that emerged in the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie during the early 1740s, drawing heavily upon the principles of Pragmatic Humanism while adapting them to the Federation's unique multiethnic context. The movement gained significant momentum following the Spring Crisis of 1739, when widespread civilian resistance to a coup attempt reinforced notions of constitutional loyalty and democratic values across traditional regional and cultural divides.

Central to New Alexandrianism is the concept of "transcendent citizenship", which is the idea that New Alexandrian identity transcends ethnic, linguistic, and religious differences, uniting citizens through shared civic values and constitutional loyalty to the Federation and to the King. This approach represents a significant evolution of traditional Humanist thought, retaining Pragmatic Humanism's emphasis on disciplined governance and technological sovereignty while moderating its more authoritarian tendencies.

Where Pragmatic Humanism calls for cultural cohesion through national education, New Alexandrianism goes further by promoting active cultural exchange between the Federation's Regions, particularly through the Federal Cultural Integration Program which sponsors arts festivals, educational exchanges, and multilingual media. The Department of Education, Sports, and Culture has implemented this vision through curriculum reforms that balance regional cultural heritage with a unified civic education emphasizing constitutional values and shared historical narratives, particularly focusing on the Proclamation of Punta Santiago and the Spring Crisis of 1739 as foundational moments of national unity. Critics, particularly from the Alliance for a Just Nouvelle Alexandrie, argue that New Alexandrianism threatens to homogenize the Federation's diverse cultures, while defenders counter that it represents a necessary evolution beyond traditional identity politics toward a more cohesive and resilient national community.

In Nouvelle Alexandrie

Pragmatic Humanism has had its most significant impact in Nouvelle Alexandrie, where many of its principles have been implemented in governance structures and policies. During his tenure as Secretary of Naval Affairs (1730 AN-1734 AN), Jimenez directly applied these principles to naval organization and strategy, creating what would later serve as a model for other branches of government.

The philosophy gained broader influence after the Federal Humanist Party's victory in the 1739 election, when many of its principles were incorporated into the Force 1752 initiative. This comprehensive program for military modernization and technological development reflected Pragmatic Humanism's emphasis on technological sovereignty, strategic planning, and meritocratic advancement.

The Institute for Strategic Studies, founded by Jimenez in 1734 AN, has served as the primary intellectual center for developing and disseminating Pragmatic Humanist ideas. Its annual "Strategic Outlook Report" and policy papers have shaped discourse across multiple policy domains in Nouvelle Alexandrie.

International reception

Pragmatic Humanism has gained adherents in several Raspur Pact nations, particularly those facing similar challenges of technological development and strategic independence. Military and political leaders in Constancia, Oportia, and Natopia have expressed interest in elements of the philosophy, though implementation has varied widely. Critics in Natopia and Nouvelle Alexandrie have argued that Pragmatic Humanism remains too authoritarian despite its moderation compared to traditional Humanism.

Criticisms

Pragmatic Humanism has faced criticism from multiple directions. Traditional Humanists have sometimes criticized it as a dilution of core Humanist principles, particularly regarding human supremacy. In contrast, liberal critics argue that despite its pragmatic framing, the philosophy remains fundamentally authoritarian in its elevation of state authority over individual rights.

Human rights advocates have particularly criticized Pragmatic Humanism's abiding beliefs in the efficacy of corporal punishment in the form of caning. This aspect has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations who argue that such practices violate modern standards against cruel and unusual punishment regardless of their purported pragmatic justifications.

Democratic theorists have questioned whether Pragmatic Humanism's emphasis on meritocracy is compatible with genuine democratic participation, suggesting that it could create a technocratic elite disconnected from the general population. Jimenez has responded to such criticisms by arguing that meritocracy and democracy are complementary rather than contradictory when properly implemented.

Economic critics have challenged the feasibility of distinguishing between sectors requiring strategic guidance and those better left to market forces, suggesting that such distinctions inevitably become politicized. Defenders counter that while perfect implementation is challenging, the principle provides a more balanced approach than either pure state control or unrestricted markets.

Cultural theorists have questioned whether Pragmatic Humanism's emphasis on cultural cohesion can accommodate genuine diversity or whether it ultimately demands conformity to dominant cultural norms. This debate remains active in Nouvelle Alexandrie, where the balance between national unity and cultural diversity continues to evolve.

Legacy and continuing development

As a relatively young political philosophy, Pragmatic Humanism continues to develop through both scholarly work and practical implementation. The Institute for Strategic Studies regularly publishes refinements and applications of Pragmatic Humanist principles to emerging challenges, while government officials in Nouvelle Alexandrie and elsewhere adapt the framework to specific policy contexts.

The philosophy has proven particularly influential in approaches to technological development, with its emphasis on technological sovereignty informing policies on research funding, education, and industrial development. As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, Alexandrium, and advanced materials science transform Nouvelle Alexandrie, Pragmatic Humanist frameworks for managing technological change have gained increased attention.

Key texts

• Enrique Jimenez, "The Disciplined State: Prosperity Through Order" (1726 AN)
• Enrique Jimenez, "Strategic Governance: Lessons from the Maritime Domain" (1736 AN)
• Enrique Jimenez, "Pragmatic Humanism: A New Approach for a New Century" (1740 AN)
• Institute for Strategic Studies. "National Development in the Technological Age" (1738 AN)
• Institute for Strategic Studies. "Strategic Outlook Report" (published annually since 1735 AN)

See also

• New Alexandrianism
• Enrique Jimenez
• Juan Pablo Jimenez
• Federal Humanist Party
• Institute for Strategic Studies
• Force 1752 initiative
• Nationalist & Humanist Party