Conservative Political Philosophy and Labels

My recent reading led me to give serious thought to what the present day principles of conservatism should look like. The term encompassed different principles at different times, and clearly means different things to different people today. Prior to the 60s many who called themselves conservatives supported racial segregation. And today, many Americans see conservatives as dreary folk whose political beliefs consist of just three principles: smaller government, reduced spending, and lower taxes. But conservatism needs to encompass a wider scope if it is going to be an effective force for true reform.

I recently read Michael Gerson’s Heroic Conservatism, in which he says that, to be effective, conservatism should include many humanitarian initiatives, notably sensible welfare programs and large international expenditures on such things as international AIDS abatement. Gerson’s perspective comes from his evangelical Christian mores. Whether or not these mores should be injected explicitly into a conservative political manifesto is debatable, but as an evangelical Christian, I identify with Gerson’s worldview and concern for the welfare of people in need. And his Christian mores certainly have a justifiable place in his own political thought.

When contemplating how best to care for the needy, however, it’s important to consider the differing approaches of various political ideologies. For instance, surveys have shown that conservatives donate more to charities on average than liberals. Contrary to popular belief, conservatives are not less compassionate to the poor. As a general rule, they simply do not believe government should force citizens to be charitable through taxation and welfare.

In the early years of the last century, the “progressive” political ideology began to get a foothold in American politics. The movement has gained strength over the years. With it came the onset and growth of government welfare programs. One consequence was that many religious organizations backed away from very effective private welfare initiatives. Time has shown that faith based welfare programs tend to be more successful than government programs, but the prevailing warped view of the “separation of church and state” has made it difficult for government to take advantage of these powerful religious resources. As a result, religious organizations have moved more into the background in the effort to help the poor as the government has taken the foremost position.

Another book I read recently (Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny) provides an excellent description of what true conservatism means. He gives a concise view of how liberty has been under attack for many years, and he does so without resorting to polemics. In the last chapter Levin provides an excellent ten point Conservative Manifesto. The ten points describe what political conservatives should do. Each point is spot on, though the manifesto might be improved by first stating conservative principles as opposed to leaping to conservative action

Merriam Webster defines the noun “conservative” as an adherent or advocate of political conservatism or a member or supporter of a conservative political party. This is obvious. A secondary definition is: One who adheres to traditional methods or views or a cautious or discreet person. But what traditional views do true conservatives adhere to?

After much reading and reflection I offer the following as a list of true conservative principles.

The Conservative:

• Values the dignity of every person as a free individual – not merely as a member of a group.
• Strives to be moral and virtuous, rejecting moral relativism.
• Believes in the rule of law.
• Believes that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are God-given rights for every individual (not privileges dispensed by government) and respects the rights of others.
• Encourages individual effort and entrepreneurial success and is not opposed to personal wealth.
• Protects the rights of personal property.
• Recognizes the role of faith and providence in public life.
• Insists on constitutionally limited government in both size and authority.
• Insists on limited and fair taxation.
• Believes wealth should be achieved by individual effort, not by government redistribution through burdensome taxes on achievers.
• Insists on a congress that truly listens to and represents the people for whom they work (I.e., government by, for, and of the people).
• Insists on a congress that lives by the same rules and benefits as ordinary citizens.
• Sees a need for the end of career politicians (i.e., term limits).
• Insists on a government that reflects wise budgeting and fiscal responsibility, not spending money it does not have.

This is a long list, and I should add a disclaimer: Some who call themselves conservative will not embrace all of these principles, and some who call themselves liberals will hold to some of these principles. I am not seeking to provide an exhaustive definition of conservatism but rather to summarize the core tenets of conservatism in general. If there are others you believe should be included or some that should be left out or combined, I invite your comments. Email me at BFPost09@aol.com.

Robert C. Wilson is a veteran of the U.S. Army with a B.S. in mechanical engineering and a M.S. in Business. His writings are posted at www.BFranklinPost.com Please email your comments to forum@centerforajustsociety.org.

The CJS Forum seeks to promote an open exchange of ideas about the relationship between faith, culture, law and public policy. While all the articles are original and written especially for the CJS Forum, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for a Just Society.

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