Political Humanism: A Post-Ideological Framework for Measuring Human Flourishing in Democratic Governance

Abstract
Political Humanism is proposed as a contemporary moral philosophy and governance framework grounded in the principle that political, economic, and institutional systems should be evaluated according to how effectively they maximise human well-being. Beginning from an analysis of the human condition and the reciprocal relationship between individuals, society, and the state, the paper situates Political Humanism within the broader humanist and utilitarian traditions while extending them through a multidimensional conception of human flourishing.

The framework develops into a theory of governance organised around definable and measurable domains of societal well-being, offering a structured alternative to traditional left–right ideological models. It argues that contemporary political systems suffer from institutional fragmentation, democratic inefficiency, and misalignment between moral aims and economic mechanisms. Political Humanism seeks to address these failures through clarified social contracts, outcome-oriented institutional design, and a political economy aligned with social objectives.

The paper positions Political Humanism as an integrative framework capable of aligning moral philosophy, governance design, and political economy at a time of increasing systemic complexity, and proposes it as a basis for evaluating and reforming institutions in the twenty-first century.