What is Conservatism to you?

[404.livejournal.com]

I have started on Dr. Alitt's excellent primer on the Conservative Tradition, through The Teaching Company (available @ http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=4812 for those who are interested, it costs money though, but not too much, especially when compared to university level classes), and it got me thinking about what I feel Conservatism as a political philosophy really is. Obviously given from the word that is used: Conservative, which denotes careful planning and rational development, but is that all it is? I am curious in what y'all think it means. Maybe this will spark a conversation that does not break down into name calling, but we shall see.

Comments

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Except that it provides an implication that conservatives are anti-progress, which couldn't be less true.

[nevermind6794.livejournal.com]

My reading is that it implies conservatives want progress to come from people, from the bottom up. That seems pretty consistent with conservative stances on gay rights, abortion, civil rights, etc. - that government can't/shouldn't change things from up top.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

That sounds more accurate on a whole.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

That's getting pretty close to the opposite of what Burke said though.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Not anti-progress, just that progress should be slow and checked and within the restraints of society, but I understand your point.

How about Conservatives and Radicals?