Difference between revisions of "Conservative values"
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| − | '''Conservative values''' | + | '''Conservative values''' do not mean "a "conservative ideology": for conservatism is the negation of ideology. Ideology is an attempt to govern all life by political slogans; while American conservatives believe that no mere political formulas can make a people content. Conservatives take for their guide in politics what Edmund Burke called "the wisdom of the species": that is, the experience of human beings in community, extending over many centuries. Thus, American conservatism is a cast of mind and character, not a neat body of political abstractions. Ideology is political fanaticism, an endeavor to rule the world by rigorous abstract dogmata. The dogmata of an abstract 'democratic capitalism' may be mischievous as the dogmata of Marx. |
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| − | ' | + | It is possible to describe certain attitudes that make up America's conservative mentality, even though not all Americans could express coherently their belief in such general principles, and although some conservatives would dissent from one or more of the general assumptions or principles outlined here. |
| − | + | First, belief in some transcendent order in the universe, some law that is more than human: a religious understanding of the human condition, if you will; a belief in enduring moral norms. | |
| − | + | Second, opposition to totalist ideology and the totalist political order. The American conservative rejects the notion of a future earthly paradise -- which the ideologue promises to attain. | |
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| − | + | Third, confidence in the American Constitution -- both the written national Constitution and the intricate fabric of custom, belief, and habit that makes up the underlying "unwritten" constitution of a nation-state. Many decisions of the Supreme Court in recent decades are bitterly resented; nevertheless, attachment to the Constitution itself remains strong. | |
| − | + | Fourth, maintenance of the rights of private property and of a free or competitive economy, as contrasted with a directed or socialist economy. This healthy prejudice persists despite the increasing consolidation of business and industry into large conglomerations or oligopolies. | |
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| − | + | Fifth, suspicion of central political direction, and preference for state and local powers: insistence upon private rights. | |
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| − | + | Sixth, a deep-rooted patriotism, joined to uneasiness at "entangling alliances"; this latter attitude, nevertheless, modified by determination to resist totalist powers that menace the American national interest. | |
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| − | + | Seventh, an awareness that change is not identical with healthy improvement; a relish for the American past; a genuine preference for the old and tried. | |
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| + | Such is the consensus of that very large body of Americans who choose to call themselves conservative in their politics. Within this crowd of conservative citizens exist various factions, each emphasizing some aspect or another of the general conservative attitude. There exists no "party line" to which conservatives of one persuasion or another are compelled to conform. | ||
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| + | The careful reader will note that ideology -- that is, political fanaticism -- is rampant on Conservapedia, leaving one with the ironic observation that the Conservative Wikipedia is anything but. | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
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*[[William F. Buckley]] | *[[William F. Buckley]] | ||
Revision as of 21:11, October 2, 2009
Conservative values do not mean "a "conservative ideology": for conservatism is the negation of ideology. Ideology is an attempt to govern all life by political slogans; while American conservatives believe that no mere political formulas can make a people content. Conservatives take for their guide in politics what Edmund Burke called "the wisdom of the species": that is, the experience of human beings in community, extending over many centuries. Thus, American conservatism is a cast of mind and character, not a neat body of political abstractions. Ideology is political fanaticism, an endeavor to rule the world by rigorous abstract dogmata. The dogmata of an abstract 'democratic capitalism' may be mischievous as the dogmata of Marx.
It is possible to describe certain attitudes that make up America's conservative mentality, even though not all Americans could express coherently their belief in such general principles, and although some conservatives would dissent from one or more of the general assumptions or principles outlined here.
First, belief in some transcendent order in the universe, some law that is more than human: a religious understanding of the human condition, if you will; a belief in enduring moral norms.
Second, opposition to totalist ideology and the totalist political order. The American conservative rejects the notion of a future earthly paradise -- which the ideologue promises to attain.
Third, confidence in the American Constitution -- both the written national Constitution and the intricate fabric of custom, belief, and habit that makes up the underlying "unwritten" constitution of a nation-state. Many decisions of the Supreme Court in recent decades are bitterly resented; nevertheless, attachment to the Constitution itself remains strong.
Fourth, maintenance of the rights of private property and of a free or competitive economy, as contrasted with a directed or socialist economy. This healthy prejudice persists despite the increasing consolidation of business and industry into large conglomerations or oligopolies.
Fifth, suspicion of central political direction, and preference for state and local powers: insistence upon private rights.
Sixth, a deep-rooted patriotism, joined to uneasiness at "entangling alliances"; this latter attitude, nevertheless, modified by determination to resist totalist powers that menace the American national interest.
Seventh, an awareness that change is not identical with healthy improvement; a relish for the American past; a genuine preference for the old and tried.
Such is the consensus of that very large body of Americans who choose to call themselves conservative in their politics. Within this crowd of conservative citizens exist various factions, each emphasizing some aspect or another of the general conservative attitude. There exists no "party line" to which conservatives of one persuasion or another are compelled to conform.
The careful reader will note that ideology -- that is, political fanaticism -- is rampant on Conservapedia, leaving one with the ironic observation that the Conservative Wikipedia is anything but.
See also
References
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