Political systems are based on underlying belief systems, consciously or not.
Communism insisted that government actions, and education or re-education,
could change basic human nature (a sort of para-Lysenkoism); they thereby
justified horrific treatment of individuals in the present in the name of the
future and the common good. And of course it didn't work.
A lot of Western political theory is consciously or unconsciously based on
Christianity--usually the worst parts of it. For example, the opposition to
abortion is almost entirely based on theological statements about the nature and
origin of human life; and the idea that sex is somehow naturally sinful, and
that "fallen women" should suffer social sanctions, underlies opposition to
contraception and blanket vilification of mothers on welfare.
And of course Christianity has been used to bolster such respected traditions
as slavery, the notion that the upper classes were inherently superior to the
lower classes and deserved to rule them, and laws that valued the property of
the rich over the lives of the poor--meaning a man who poached a rabbit on
the Squire's land could be transported to Botany Bay for 20 years.
You are no doubt familiar with Finagle's Law: Under carefully controlled
laboratory conditions, people will do what they damn well please.
I have created Braude's Corollary: And they will claim to be doing the will
of God when they do it.
I'm not commenting specifically on Card because I haven't read any of his
stuff, but I have a similar problem with the later Heinlein.
tal