Defining Conservatism in a Brave New World

Conservatism as a philosophy has vacillated between political parties throughout our history. The political framework of the 1870s held Democrats as the party of smaller government, lower taxes, civil rights and the like. Reconstruction Republicans would have done away with such principles. JFK championed tax cuts before the Carter Administration worked to put the traditional Conservative platform issues in the hands of Republicans and paved the way for the rise of Reaganomics. In light of the TARP funding that saw bipartisan support last Fall, many are now drawing delineations between Conservatives and the current Republican Party. In such a climate, it is important to define one’s self as a Conservative first and by their party affiliation second in order to steer a Conservative column as a true Conservative. As a Conservative, I build on what Abraham Lincoln articulated, that it involves “…adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried.” More specifically, F.J.C. Hearnshaw identified several canons of Conservative thought, honed by Russell Kirk, with which I agree. Conservatism posits a 1) Belief in a transcendent order where it follows that all political problems are ultimately peripheral representations of moral issues. Politics are the stage act on which the theatre of ideas performs. No one was more illogical than Senator John Kerry when he said during the 2003 campaign frenzy that he “does not allow [his] personal values to influence his policy decisions.” What are policy decisions if not personal values embodied in legislative form?! Conservatism also shows 2) An appreciation for diversity of thought over a homogenized cultural system of utilitarianism and egalitarianism. 3) A belief that civilized society requires order and classes as both an irrepressible reality and a necessary social mechanism. 4) A belief that freedom and property are closely linked and that while policy should aim for equality of opportunity, it cannot insure nor should it try to insure equality of outcome. 5) Custom, convention and tradition are indispensable guides that provide a hedge against anarchy, impulsive change and the innovator’s lust for power. And finally, 6) society must adapt prudently in order to preserve itself. Conservatives stand against failed systems of government such as collectivism (socialism), romanticism (feelings without critical logic analysis), utilitarianism (which has led too often to political expediency) along with moral relativism, secular humanism and other Leftist philosophies. As Burke writes, “vainglorious man in the role of guide, equipped with a map compiled from his own abstractions, would lead society to destruction.” I am a Conservative because I stand against these distractions and hold to a belief that it is our role to manage the systems of government and society but it is beyond our ability to redeem those systems to perfection. Our role is Manager, not Savior, the mistaken notion that drives so many Leftist ideologues to waste resources in an effort to supplant Heaven on Earth.