Conservatism 1

Conservatism is widely believed to have been founded by Edmund Burke, who argued
for what became many of its core concepts in his 1790 book, Reflections on the French
Revolution. Since then, this ideology has disseminated across the world and integrated with
local culture and customs to evolve into many variations. Although conservative politics across
the world do not always agree on policies and legislation, some core principles of traditional
conservatism like those proposed by Edmund Burke remain definitive. This essay will examine
the arguments for and against traditional conservatism. The overarching themes in traditional
conservatism include preserving social order and stability, preventing government tyranny, and
promoting individual accumulation of wealth.1 Conservatives believe that these are the
necessary foundations for a just society.2 While this ideology claims noble intentions and
espouses some truths, its hallmark methods to achieve a better society are often controversial.
After first understanding the arguments for conservatism, we will then question its place in the
modern world.
Tradition is regarded by conservatives as the collective wisdom accumulated throughout
history. The survival of ancient traditions is a testament to their value.1 Any changes to the
status quo are treated with extreme caution and suspicion. Even when traditional policies are
imperfect, the people at least know what to expect, so it is argued that society is better off
dealing with the proverbial devil we know. Since social experimentation sometimes results in
choas that may affect all members of society, like the French Revolution commented on by
Edmund Burke1, it should be resisted. Unity within the collective is valued over dissent and
exchange of radical ideas. If changes should happen, conservatives argue for them to happen
1

Sargent, Lyman Tower, Contemporary Political Ideologies; a Comparative Analysis. (Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, 2009), 137-139
2

Denes, Ivan Zoltan. Conservative Ideology in the Making. (Budapest, Hungary: Central European
University Press, 2009), 11.

Conservatism 2
slowly and only after due resistance, so as to make sure that it truly is an improvement upon the
present condition.
Regarding the role of government, conservatives seek to limit its influence especially in
areas of economics and social services.1 A core principle of conservatism is anti-egalitarianism,
which is to say that everyone in society has their place within a hierarchy and will do well to stay
there to preserve the integrity of the whole. Conservatism highlights the natural inequality of
ability in different people to justify the inevitable differences in wealth and power. Related to the
idea of anti-egalitarianism is the concept of self-reliance. Conservatives argue that since the
more able individuals naturally deserve more rewards for their superior work, it is unethical to try
to eliminate these differences through rising tax brackets, industrial regulation, social benefits,
and other avenues of wealth redistribution.3 Such policies are regarded as aimed at
handicapping the wealthy and industrious, while giving the poor and lazy an incentive to not
work hard and rely on government assistance. Conservatives hold dear their autonomy and
liberties especially in the process of accumulating property and material wealth, but here is
usually one exception when it comes to government interventions, which is moral issues. Social
norms and traditional definitions of morality are held as important yet delicate foundations of the
fabric of society. The idea of moral relativism is abhorrent to most conservatives. It is argued
that if there is no fundamental standard for morality, then potentially any activity may be
justified. In the absence of a strictly enforced common code of ethics, conservatives fear that
the possible domino effects upon society may be unfathomable. For the good of social stability,
some urges must be restrained so that society preserves a certain degree of decency, and thus
government intervention is an acceptable trade-off.3
The conservative point of view suggests a dismal view on human nature. People are
held to be irrational: stirring up turmoil when tradition offers stability; expecting rewards without
3

Russell Kirk. Prescription, Authority, and Ordered Freedom. In What is Conservatism? Frank S.
Meyer ed. (New York, Rinehart & Winston, 1964) 24.

Conservatism 3
producing; making overly generalized national policies without consideration for local customs;
and giving in to immoral urges instead of maintaining common decency. Daniel Kahneman
indeed gave empirical evidence for the fallibility of human reasoning. We assume people are
rational actors in decision making, Kahneman showed that people are in fact inexplicable
irrationality, sometimes resulting in the vicious cycle that conservatives warn about.4
While conservative theory is not without its merits, many cases demonstrate that it is
detrimental to society when put into practice. In centuries past, when change and information
was less forthcoming, traditional practices had greater longevity. Nowadays many traditional
laws are being rendered obsolete by rapid changes in technologies and culture. One familiar
example is the United States 2nd Constitutional Amendment, which supposedly guarantees
citizens ability to own and carry firearms. The original intent was to prevent the federal
government from intimidating individual states through force, and the law was passed at a time
when firearms were relatively inefficient, more expensive, and less readily available. Today at
least two problems undermine the original aim. The first is that modern firearms are cheap,
common, and fire rapidly with deadly accuracy even in the hands of untrained criminals. What
was meant to protect the people from government tyranny now subject them to the oppression
of random acts of violence. The second is that while militia centuries ago may defend their
home from federal troops who used similar weapons, there is simply no way that a group of
civilians wielding small arms can fight off tyrannical armies who can deploy tanks and
helicopters. Thus new problems have emerged out of tradition even as benefits have waned. A
newer example is the advent of drone warfare. The United States Constitution stipulates that
although the President is a Commander-in-Chief during wartime, he must obtain Congressional
approval to declare war, thus creating a check and balance of power between the legislative

Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under
Risk." (Econometrica, 1979) 263-92.

Conservatism 4
and executive branches. The makers of that law could not have foreseen robotic fighters, and
thus the President is able to order the bombing of foreign countries by drones without
congressional consent, since it does not legally constitute an act of war by traditional
definitions.5 The aim to preserve traditional values is not inherently wrong, but it is easy to
confuse the aim with the means. Laws and customs are means to ensure certain values, but
when circumstances make these means untenable, society must examine the discrepancy and
update the means to realign with the aim. Conservatisms steadfast grip on tradition simply for
traditions sake is increasingly yielding disastrous consequences.
In regards to anti-egalitarianism, conservative policies often miss the mark. Even though
some people are smarter or more able than others, there is no evidence that factors such as
race, bloodline, and gender can predict such outcomes. The most prominent example which
illustrates the reprehensible nature of anti-egalitarianism is the institution of slavery and the
vehement effort made by conservatives of the time to preserve it. Though practiced and
encouraged by many cultures in the past, it is now rightly condemned as an affront to the
humanity of all. Conservatives following anti-egalitarian ideals first sought to benefit from the
bondage and exploitation of other human beings, then disenfranchised former slaves under
policies such as Jim Crow Laws in the USA. The idea that more able and productive individuals
naturally deserve makes sense in theory, but in practice we see that it is often the lower classes
that produce, while the oppressors contribute little and diverting much of their wealth towards
the continued domination of the oppressed. Personal beliefs in the superiority of a certain race
or family stem from a profound lack of empathy for fellow human beings. Self-reliance is a fine
principle to live by, but it must not be used to scorn the destitute and the disenfranchised.
In their mad scramble to stem the tide of change, many conservatives escalate their
distrust of human reasoning to a more general distrust of facts. A curious phenomenon of

Peter W. Singer, "Battlefields of the Future." (The New York Times, January 21, 2012).

Conservatism 5
collective intellectual regression occurs even as individual conservatives enjoy the fruits of
improved technology and reasoning. Government programs which seek to protect all, like
regulations in foods and drugs, and controlling climate-harming heavy industries are ironically
denied in the name of libertythe liberty to resign to intellectual stagnation. The occasional
fallibility of human reasoning is no reason for its complete abandonment. For many
conservatives, the ideologys claim of human fallibility is not see a warning but embraced in a
perverse celebration. This ideology evokes the worst in mankinds character and can justify
ancient prejudices and mistakes, constantly threatening to subvert all progress that humanity
has achieved. Therefore, its detriments far outweigh its benefits.

Conservatism 6

Reference
Denes, Ivan Zoltan. Conservatism. In Conservative Ideology in the Making. 1st ed. Budapest,
Hungary: Central European University Press, 2009
Fishman, Ethan. "American Conservatism 2012: A Historical Perspective." Perspectives on
Political Science, no. 41 (2012): 38-40.
Kahneman, Daniel, and Tversky, Amos. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under
Risk." Econometrica47, no. 2 (1979): 263-92.
Kirk, Russell. Prescription, Authority, and Ordered Freedom. In What is Conservatism? Frank
S. Meyer ed. New York, Rinehart & Winston, 1964
Sargent, Lyman Tower. "Conservatism, Liberalism, and Democracy." In Contemporary Political
Ideologies; a Comparative Analysis. 14th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2009.
Singer, Peter W. "Battlefields of the Future." The New York Times, January 21, 2012.

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