OpenLeft: What Is conservatism? Conservatives have no idea

[marmar]

What Is conservatism? Conservatives have no idea
by: OpenLeft

Sun Dec 27, 2009 at 16:00



A Daniel De Groot Golden Oldie
From Thu Jan 01, 2009. Original HERE.


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As a starting point for defining conservatism, and nailing down what the real atomic core of conservatism is, I started by asking: What do conservatives think it is? How do they answer this question?

It turns out, they don't really know. Their efforts to define it are worth studying though, partly because the answers they provide are revealing, but also because their own failure to find an answer satisfactory even just to themselves points to the need for outsiders to step in and provide the answers conservatives can't or won't face.

Let's start with the definition provided by Conservapedia. Since they exist to recast the history of the whole world from a conservative viewpoint, they must have some insight to offer, how else could they function?

A conservative is one who adheres to principles of limited government, personal responsibility and moral virtue. A conservative would likely agree with the statement in George Washington's Farewell Address that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" to political prosperity.<1> Conservatism arose in the 19th century as a response to liberalism, particularly as manifested in the French Revolution.(2)

Not really satisfactory. Instead of a definition, we get a laundry list that could apply to a lot of people who are not conservative. Liberals believe in limits to government, personal responsibility and being moral/virtuous too. They perhaps define those things differently, but as a definition we are clearly far from getting at the essence of what conservativism is. It is as if we have defined a tiger as "an animal with fur, claws and teeth." Sure, we've narrowed the field a bit, but if you had never seen a tiger, this wouldn't really tell you how to identify one. The other items in that description are really non-sequitur and even less helpful in defining conservativism (and their take on the origins of conservatism is just wrong but too big a digression to address here).

You may accuse me of being facetious or unfair for starting with Conservapedia. Don't worry, we're going to get to some more respected conservative theorists and philosophers, and the problems will be much the same here. What is remarkable is that none of the big brains of the right do any better than Schlafly's minions. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.openleft.com/diary/16689/what-is-conservatism-conservatives-have-no-idea