Conservatism
An Invitation to the Great Tradition
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
“…one of the most eloquent and even moving evocations of the conservative tradition in Western politics, philosophy and culture I have ever read…the ideal primer for those who are new to conservative ideas…” —Richard Aldous, Wall Street Journal
A brief magisterial introduction to the conservative tradition by one of Britain’s leading intellectuals.
In Conservatism, Roger Scruton offers the reader an invitation into the world of political philosophy by explaining the history and evolution of the conservative movement over the centuries. With the clarity and authority of a gifted teacher, he discusses the ideology's perspective on civil society, the rule of law, freedom, morality, property, rights, and the role of the state. In a time when many claim that conservatives lack a unified intellectual belief system, this book makes a very strong case to the contrary, one that politically-minded readers will find compelling and refreshing.
Scruton analyzes the origins and development of conservatism through the philosophies and thoughts of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Adam Smith and Milton Friedman, among others. He shows how conservative ideas have influenced the political sector through the careers of a diverse cast of politicians, such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Disraeli, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. He also takes a close look at the changing relationship between conservative politics, capitalism, and free markets in both the UK and the US. This clear, incisive guide is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand Western politics and policies, now and over the last three centuries.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Citing the tumultuous state of world affairs as a reason to look backward, philosopher Scruton thoughtfully explores the underpinnings and evolution of conservatism in this concise work of political philosophy. He identifies values central to and issues formative of the conservative worldview in different eras; conservatism has defined itself at various times, he says, in opposition to such forces as individualism and "political correctness," economic socialism, populism, and militant Islamism. Tracing contemporary conservatism back to its roots, he begins with the English Enlightenment thinkers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, connecting them to Edmund Burke and Adam Smith, whose writings he asserts formed the basis of modern conservatism. He briefly summarizes the contributions of major 19th-century German and French conservative thinkers positing that Joseph de Maistre, Fran ois-Ren Chateaubriand, and Alexis de Tocqueville "all reject some aspect of the Enlightenment," and 20th-century "cultural conservatism" focused on preserving and restoring to cultural importance the recently dethroned traditional centers of rural life (in Britain, the Anglican Church; in the U.S., agrarianism). He also discusses conservatism's coming to define itself in opposition to socialism in the 20th century. He fails, however, to delve into conservatism's current status, with Donald Trump getting nary a mention. Nevertheless, this is a coolheaded, reasonable survey of conservative thought.
