Excerpts

Chapter Two: Conservative Philosophy in General
The Basis of Conservative Philosophy

Why do we as conservatives believe what we believe?

Is it because we are hopelessly nostalgic in our ideological perspectives? Is it because we hold on to the past with a hand that will not let go? Do we try to force our moral views on all other individuals? How do we conclude that conservative values lead us to any better conclusion than government expansionism? As Plato once wrote in his masterpiece Laws, “because you have gone back to first principles you have thrown a light upon the argument.” Plato here reflected on a fact of life: Principles reflect one’s personal perception.

We often take an extra step and ask another question: How does an individual come to an ideological perspective? The question is a valid, sound, and important one. Plato himself acknowledges the validity of the question when his “Athenian Stranger” character asks for not merely legislative stances, but also the origins of laws themselves. In other words, to fully understand someone’s conclusion, one must understand the steps leading to the conclusion.

Three basic sectors lead to the conservative perspective: logic, morality, and history. Moreover, these principles are unique to conservatism. Government expansionists are afraid of these three things; they shirk from them, because, after all, if they are confined to logic, then their ideology is confined as well. If they are confined to morality, then they are ideologically confined to adhere to a moral compass.

But if the government is to expand to the fullest extent, worries the government expansionist, there must be no boundaries. Boundaries only penalize a government as it tries to expand. Moreover, de facto boundaries—such as defining what is moral and what is logical—affect more than just one sector of society as a normal piece of legislation does. They can change one’s entire perception of life.

Conservatism’s uniqueness in these three areas works to its advantage. Logic, morality, and history open doors to a successful society that the government expansionist’s ideals of antiindividualism and progovernmental institutionalism through class warfare cannot bring to the table. The free market, for example, is a solution employed by conservatism because of capitalism’s logical, moral, and historical successes, yet it is downplayed by the government expansionist because the free market promotes individualism, diminishes the governmental institutionalization of society, and does not aid, whatsoever, in “the struggle of classes.”

Logic, morality, and history are key to conservatism; what’s more, the understanding of each of these individual philosophical ideals might be even more influential to the conservative perspective. The conservative ideological identity is entirely upheld by these three great societal pillars. Their influence on con- servatism is not only relevant but also important for every conservative to learn and comprehend.