14. How Conservatism differs
from other ideologies
1. Rather than being defined in terms of abstract
principles of justice, conservatism is commonly defined
in relation to changing historical contexts.
2. Conservatism can be considered more of a disposition
or temperament, rather than a strict belief system.
3. Conservatism as a belief system (if it is a belief system
at all) is marked by many internal tensions.
4. Conservatives, because of their lack of agreement
over philosophical principles, tend to unite around
specific issues.
5. Conservatives, according to Charles Kessler, often find
it easier to say what they are against than what they
are for. Specifically, they often tend to oppose aspects
of liberal capitalism.
15. How Conservatism differs
from other ideologies
1. Rather than being defined in terms of abstract
principles of justice, conservatism is commonly defined
in relation to changing historical contexts.
2. Conservatism can be considered more of a disposition
or temperament, rather than a strict belief system.
3. Conservatism as a belief system (if it is a belief system
at all) is marked by many internal tensions.
4. Conservatives, because of their lack of agreement
over philosophical principles, tend to unite around
specific issues.
5. Conservatives, according to Charles Kessler, often find
it easier to say what they are against than what they
are for. Specifically, they often tend to oppose aspects
of liberal capitalism.
16. “To be conservative…is to prefer the
familiar to the unknown, to prefer the
tried to the untried, fact to mystery, the
actual to the possible, the limited to the
unbounded, the near to the distant, the
sufficient to the superabundant, the
convenient to the perfect, present
laughter to utopian bliss.”
Michael Oakeshott
“On Being Conservative”
17. It is easier to say
who
is a conservative rather than
what conservatism is.
18. How Conservatism differs
from other ideologies
1. Rather than being defined in terms of abstract
principles of justice, conservatism is commonly defined
in relation to changing historical contexts.
2. Conservatism can be considered more of a disposition
or temperament, rather than a strict belief system.
3. Conservatism as a belief system (if it is a belief system
at all) is marked by many internal tensions.
4. Conservatives, because of their lack of agreement
over philosophical principles, tend to unite around
specific issues.
5. Conservatives, according to Charles Kessler, often find
it easier to say what they are against than what they
are for. Specifically, they often tend to oppose aspects
of liberal capitalism.
19. How Conservatism differs
from other ideologies
1. Rather than being defined in terms of abstract
principles of justice, conservatism is commonly defined
in relation to changing historical contexts.
2. Conservatism can be considered more of a disposition
or temperament, rather than a strict belief system.
3. Conservatism as a belief system (if it is a belief system
at all) is marked by many internal tensions.
4. Conservatives, because of their lack of agreement
over philosophical principles, tend to unite around
specific issues.
5. Conservatives, according to Charles Kessler, often find
it easier to say what they are against than what they
are for. Specifically, they often tend to oppose aspects
of liberal capitalism.
20. How Conservatism differs
from other ideologies
1. Rather than being defined in terms of abstract
principles of justice, conservatism is commonly defined
in relation to changing historical contexts.
2. Conservatism can be considered more of a disposition
or temperament, rather than a strict belief system.
3. Conservatism as a belief system (if it is a belief system
at all) is marked by many internal tensions.
4. Conservatives, because of their lack of agreement
over philosophical principles, tend to unite around
specific issues.
5. Conservatives, according to Charles Kessler, often find
it easier to say what they are against than what they
are for. Specifically, they often tend to oppose aspects
of liberal capitalism.
27. A few basic points…
• Accepted some increase in
democratization, but retained a belief in
the importance of strong authorities.
• Accepted some aspects of capitalism, but
feared that the economic liberties of
individuals posed moral dangers to the
good of society.
• Wanted to protect the world from the
onslaught of rapid social, economic and
technological changes.
33. Conservatives Say:
Politics based on abstract
rights promotes individualism
at the expense of historical
understanding, mitigating
institutions and the bonds that
hold society together
67. Irving Kristol on
Neoconservatism
• Support for welfare state, opposition
to bureaucratic paternalism &
intrusion
• Respect for the free market
• Support for traditional values and
religion (vs. “counterculture”)
• Opposition to “egalitarianism”
• Strong anti-communist foreign policy
