Meaning and Concept of Conservatism

• The doctrine of conservatism is based on traditional institutions and practices.

• Chateaubriand, a French thinker, coined the term "conservatism" in 1818 with his journal Le Conservateur.

• Conservatism emerged in reaction against the increasing pace of economic and political change, particularly due to the French Revolution.

• Conservatives prioritize historically inherited values over abstract and idealistic concepts.

• Conservatives view society as an organic entity, with members being closely connected and interdependent, rather than a loose collection of individuals.

• Conservatives believe the government should serve existing ways of life, and the political class should not attempt to change them.

• There is a difference between conservatism and a reactionary outlook; a reactionary seeks to restore an outmoded political and social order, while conservatism seeks to preserve traditions.

• Edmund Burke emphasized society as a partnership between the living, the dead, and future generations.

• Michael Oakeshott stated that conservatism is about preferring the familiar, the actual, the limited, and the near over the unknown, possible, unbounded, and distant.

• Conservatives believe human beings are imperfect and that unforeseen consequences of actions make it difficult to assess the effects of change.

• Change is resisted until it becomes inevitable, and conservatives believe that change should be gradual, not revolutionary.

• Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790) criticized violent revolution and defended the traditional aristocracy for stability.

• Conservatives oppose Liberalism and Socialism, as these ideologies aim to liberate individuals from traditions, which conservatives reject.

• Conservatism seeks to guard traditional social order against pressures from liberalism, socialism, and nationalism.

• Conservatives believe that inequalities in wealth and position are inevitable and should not be eliminated.

• Key features of conservatism include:

  • Necessity of power, authority, and social hierarchy

  • Respect for tradition

  • Emphasis on religion and natural law

  • Insistence on the organic nature of society

  • Free market and limited government

• Russell Kirk identified six canons of conservatism:

  • Divine intent governs both society and conscience: “political problems are ultimately religious and moral problems.”

  • Traditional life is diverse and mysterious, while radical systems focus on narrow uniformity.

  • Civilized society requires order and classes, with the only true equality being moral equality.

  • Property and freedom are inseparably connected.

  • Man must control his will and emotions, recognizing that he is governed more by emotion than reason.

  • Change and reform are not identical; society must alter slowly.