Part one: What is a conservative?

Okay so I found out what a conservative believes in. Surprisingly enough there are "10" principles! Alright I'll stop being a smart-ass. This is about conservatism, not creativism. Okay so I found a website that illustrates conservative ideology.

http://www.kirkcenter.org/kirk/ten-principles.html#one


First, the conservative believes that there exists an enduring moral order. That order is made for man, and man is made for it: human nature is a constant, and moral truths are permanent.

In other words, there exists some ethereal mechanism at work in the universe. Humans are humans and their efforts to remove themselves from the moral order only serve to alienate and frustrate them. Conservatives believe in absolute right and wrong.

Second, the conservative adheres to custom, convention, and continuity. It is old custom that enables people to live together peaceably; the destroyers of custom demolish more than they know or desire.

Third, conservatives believe in what may be called the principle of prescription. Conservatives sense that modern people are dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, able to see farther than their ancestors only because of the great stature of those who have preceded us in time.

Fourth, conservatives are guided by their principle of prudence. Burke agrees with Plato that in the statesman, prudence is chief among virtues. Any public measure ought to be judged by its probable long-run consequences, not merely by temporary advantage or popularity.

These three principles are all similar. It is easier to rely on custom and convention than it is to constantly think of something new. Take caution when changing these customs and conventions. You may think you have a great vision, but only because of the works done by those before you. Think of the long-term consequences before you act.

Fifth, conservatives pay attention to the principle of variety. They feel affection for the proliferating intricacy of long-established social institutions and modes of life, as distinguished from the narrowing uniformity and deadening egalitarianism of radical systems.

Sixth, conservatives are chastened by their principle of imperfectability. Human nature suffers irremediably from certain grave faults, the conservatives know. Man being imperfect, no perfect social order ever can be created.

Seventh, conservatives are persuaded that freedom and property are closely linked. Separate property from private possession, and Leviathan becomes master of all.

Eighth, conservatives uphold voluntary community, quite as they oppose involuntary collectivism. Although Americans have been attached strongly to privacy and private rights, they also have been a people conspicuous for a successful spirit of community.

These four are also the same. They are actually a poke at Communism and Socialism. The Conservative seems to be saying that humans being imperfect will also be UNequal. These inequalities will persist no matter how clever the new radical social experiment. Going further, this passage seems to say that inequity is good. It keeps the society dynamic.

Ninth, the conservative perceives the need for prudent restraints upon power and upon human passions. Politically speaking, power is the ability to do as one likes, regardless of the wills of one’s fellows. A state in which an individual or a small group are able to dominate the wills of their fellows without check is a despotism, whether it is called monarchical or aristocratic or democratic.

There is truth in this section. If you read the passage in the article you will see that it's child of two principles: "Constancy of Human Nature" and "Principle of Variety". Because humans will always be unequal, they will always try to differentiate themselves. They will also try to gain advantage over each other. Thus there will always be a regime that will seize ultimate power in a society. In order to preserve freedoms and liberties you must divide the powers of state.

Tenth, the thinking conservative understands that permanence and change must be recognized and reconciled in a vigorous society. The conservative is not opposed to social improvement, although he doubts whether there is any such force as a mystical Progress, with a Roman P, at work in the world.

So the conservative isn't stodgy, but must be prudent when trying to apply ANY change. This is fair. Change for the sake of change is dumb. Even a radical like me can appreciate the motto "If it isn't broken, don't fix it".



Okay if you're thinking (or thought at any point during that passage) that Conservatives don't believe in this or that, then yes you are correct. Republicans who are the supposed champions of conservatism believe in some of these and others they don't. They may give lip service to it, but may not truly follow these tenets.

The principle of prudence is one I will example. If you compare the scientific method to these principles, you will find that science is a very conservative methodology. Prudence and convention are adhered to because the work has already been done and it's the best thing working. Prudence and change must be reconciled in a balanced manner. In other words change must be made only after strenuous peer review. These are very conservative principles and thus you would assume that conservatives should champion the scientific method.

Yet the whole concepts of Intelligent Design and dare I say Non-Human Global Warming are championed by conservatives and neo-conservatives instead. In complete disregard to fundamental principles they use these two ideas to undermine scientific consensus where it suits them. Principles are apparently less important than power in politics.