Verified Document

Conservatism The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Conservatism Essay

Conservatism The Strengths and Weaknesses of Conservatism

Conservatism has existed since long before it acquired its modern title. Indeed, conservatism is not limited to the modern-day philosophy of the Repbulican Party; instead, elements of conservatism originated with the first form of society that featured an unequal distribution of power. Essentially, the underlying principle of conservatism is that the populace should be ruled by an elite governing body that holds a superior grasp of the best interests of the public, thus preventing the eruption of chaos. As Huntington (1957) noted over fifty years ago, "Liberalism is the ideology of the bourgeoisie, socialism and Marxism the ideologies of the proletariat, and conservatism the ideology of the aristocracy" (p. 182). Conservatism is thus not limited to a particular epoch, and instead encompasses a broad and continuous conviction that society is best regulated when under the control of a ruling elite. This paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of conservatism, considering factors such as the distinction between reform and reaction, the attitude toward the disenfranchised, and the manifestation of power under conservatism.

The roots of conservatism lie in a pessimistic view of human nature, with the Hobbesian belief that men left to their own devices will destroy each other. As Rubin (2011) notes, "the conservative position stems from a genuine conviction that a world emancipated will be ugly, brutish, base, and dull. It will lack the excellence...

16). There are benefits and complications to this belief. On the one hand, it is difficult to argue against the belief that society should be run by the most talented men. However, there is no objective way to quantify exactly what constitutes a "better man" and as a result, those in power often have a primary interest in themselves and do not capably serve the interests of those below them.
In its ideal form, conservative regimes draw from the wisdom gleaned over time, with a respect for longstanding customs and cultural establishments. If conservatism were entirely oppressive toward the masses, it would not have been able to sustain itself across different civilizations over hundreds of years. The chief underlying principle that makes conservatism worthwhile in the eyes of the populace is simply the fact that conservative societies remain sustainable. Successful conservative societies are able to deftly balance the rights of the individual members with the broader social order, resulting in a system in which everyone's rights are protected with no drastic upheavals. In this regard, there is an inherent stability to conservatism that makes it preferable in the eyes of many to liberalism.

On the other hand, there are many criticisms of liberalism; one of the most notable is the belief that conservatism takes a disparaging view of the disenfranchised, as the ruling elite place their personal interests ahead of those of the masses. Robin goes so far…

Sources used in this document:
References

Agre, P.E. (2004). What is conservatism and what is wrong with it? UCLA. Retrieved from http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/conservatism.html

Huntington, S.P. (1957). Conservatism as an ideology. The American Political Science Review, 51(2), 454-473

Rauch, J. (2008). Mr. conservative. Atlantic Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/05/mr-conservative/306761/

Robin, C. (2011). Introduction. The Reactionary Mind: Conservatism from Edmund Burke to Sarah Palin (pp.3-41). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Colgate Toothpaste
Words: 1612 Length: 5 Document Type: Marketing Plan

Marketing Toothpaste Flavors Marketing Plan -- Product Extension: Using Child Appropriate Flavors for Children's Colgate Toothpaste Company Background and Organization Overview of Children's Toothpaste Situational Analysis for Colgate and Toothpaste in Australia Economic forces and issues Sociocultural analysis and issues Technological forces Legal forces Competitive Analysis Market and Market Share Major competitors and advantages Customer base, client analysis SWOT Analysis of issue Functions of Packaging and Preliminary Ideas Introduction- Toothpaste is a generic term for oral paste or gels that, along with a toothbrush, clean

Wal Martit the Company Chosen
Words: 4429 Length: 15 Document Type: Term Paper

According to one recent study there is little for the employees to fear concerning outsourcing. The results show that although service outsourcing has been steadily increasing it is still very low, and that in the United States and many other industrial countries 'insourcing' of services is greater than outsourcing" (Amiti, 2005, p. 308). The core team concept helps to emphasize the fact that many companies are outsourcing by insourcing, and

Dwight D. Eisenhower Military Historians
Words: 2673 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

For example, in another article entitled "Eisenhower or Dulles? Who Made the Decisions?" (1979) about Eisenhower's years as president with Dulles, Immerman states that the overwhelming consensus among analysts of United States foreign policy during the Eisenhower administration is that Secretary of State John Foster Dulles was the dominant force. Such writers agree "that Dulles' forceful personality, lengthy preparation, and keen intellect enabled him to control and even manipulate

Invisible Hands: The Businessman's Crusade Against the
Words: 1033 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Invisible Hands: The Businessman's crusade against the new deal, then follow outline to write the essay as Kim Phillips-Fein. Invisible Hands: The Businessman's Crusade Against the New Deal. New York W.W. Norton, 2009. $16.95 (pap.) ISBN: 978-0-393-33766-2. The author of Invisible Hands, Phillips-Fein, is a professor at New York University's Gallatin School. This particular school enables students to select course loads from different departments and schools to effectively create their own

Personality Assessment ID 69079 Personality
Words: 619 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Low emotion level - this is an area that will need improvement considering that a perspective employer may view me as an individual that is not overall enthusiastic in nature, this can also be perceived as a lack on enthusiasm in my work and corporate morale. Low trust level - Work is needed in this area in order to make interactions with others more fulfilling. If everyone is perceived

Emerging American Republic
Words: 699 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Constitution The American Experiment The American experiment: The Articles of Confederation vs. The Constitution When the Founding Fathers initially designed a governing structure for the emerging American nation, they wished to err on the side of conservatism, in terms of granting power to the federal authority. After all, the American Revolution had been founded upon a principle of autonomy from a strong central authority in the form of the British king. However, the

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now