Conservatism means wanting to keep the society as it is.
Conservatism has never been that. It has always been about defending the privilege of the unaccountable elite, against meritocracy and rule of law. Throughout history, conservatives supported vast social changes, as long as they were at the expense of working people. Consider the enclosure of the commons in Britain as one big example, that led to destitution, famine and mass emigration.
So it’s important to keep in mind what’s being conserved: it’s not the status quo, it’s the rich’s ability to do what they want without being held accountable. The actual policies promoted by conservatives have been widely changeable over time, but that key principle remains the same.
i don’t think our political views differ much. But I wouldn’t let them have this word, for it has a meaning that is bigger than them. You say conservatism has never been wanting to keep society as is, I’d say it is exactly that, and I would fight these so called conservatives by pointing out that, as you said, they’re only conservative when it comes to their positions of power. If you allow them to own, so to speak, the term conservatism, then people might fall for these movements, because they feel the world is moving to fast, things of importance are being lost and should be conserved. It doesn’t work to say: but anyone who knows about politics knows that the conservatives don’t actually conserve anything of importance, because many voters know very little about politics. They need to be called out, we shouldn’t except the frame that they’re the ones conserving, while they’re destroying the planet, the wellfare state, society.
I’m actually a member of the dutch green and workers-parties, which are fusing into one new party this year and will then change their name to Progressief Nederland, and despite being happy with the party, I am strongly uncomfortable with this name. For I don’t feel I am progressive in many if not most senses of the word.
Conservatism has never been that. It has always been about defending the privilege of the unaccountable elite, against meritocracy and rule of law. Throughout history, conservatives supported vast social changes, as long as they were at the expense of working people. Consider the enclosure of the commons in Britain as one big example, that led to destitution, famine and mass emigration.
So it’s important to keep in mind what’s being conserved: it’s not the status quo, it’s the rich’s ability to do what they want without being held accountable. The actual policies promoted by conservatives have been widely changeable over time, but that key principle remains the same.
i don’t think our political views differ much. But I wouldn’t let them have this word, for it has a meaning that is bigger than them. You say conservatism has never been wanting to keep society as is, I’d say it is exactly that, and I would fight these so called conservatives by pointing out that, as you said, they’re only conservative when it comes to their positions of power. If you allow them to own, so to speak, the term conservatism, then people might fall for these movements, because they feel the world is moving to fast, things of importance are being lost and should be conserved. It doesn’t work to say: but anyone who knows about politics knows that the conservatives don’t actually conserve anything of importance, because many voters know very little about politics. They need to be called out, we shouldn’t except the frame that they’re the ones conserving, while they’re destroying the planet, the wellfare state, society.
I’m actually a member of the dutch green and workers-parties, which are fusing into one new party this year and will then change their name to Progressief Nederland, and despite being happy with the party, I am strongly uncomfortable with this name. For I don’t feel I am progressive in many if not most senses of the word.