"Bush is morally a universalist. For instance, he says the freedom is good, the same thing is good, all over the world. So in that sense he's a universalist"
- Peter Singer
About this Quote
This quote by Peter Singer recommends that former President George W. Bush was an ethical universalist. This means that he believed that the very same ethical concepts applied to all people, regardless of their culture or background. He thought that flexibility was a universal excellent, and that it ought to be available to everyone. This remains in contrast to ethical relativism, which recommends that different cultures have different moral codes. Bush's ethical universalism was reflected in his foreign policy, which sought to promote democracy and human rights all over the world. His belief in the universality of freedom was likewise shown in his domestic policies, which sought to safeguard civil liberties and promote economic chance for all Americans. Bush's ethical universalism was a foundation of his presidency, and it continues to form the political landscape today.