By Roger Scruton
Defending conservatism in modern society
Subject
Themes
Conservative philosophy begins with a simple truth: good things are easily destroyed but difficult to create. This principle applies especially to collective assets such as peace, freedom, law, and civil society, which depend upon cooperation without any individual being able to secure them alone. Roger Scruton's defence of conservatism addresses this asymmetry between destruction and creation, arguing that conservatism represents the rational response to threats facing inherited goods.
Conservative philosophy begins with a simple truth: good things are easily destroyed but difficult to create. This principle applies especially to collective assets such as peace, freedom, law, and civil society, which depend upon cooperation without any individual being able to secure them alone.…
Roger Scruton's defence of conservatism emerged during a period of significant intellectual and political ferment in Western democracies. Published in 2014, the work responded to developments including the 2008 financial crisis, ongoing debates about European integration, tensions around immigration…
The foundation of conservative thought rests upon an observable feature of social and political life: the radical asymmetry between creation and destruction. Good things, particularly those that come as collective assets, prove remarkably fragile. Peace, freedom, impartial law, civil society,…
One of Margaret Thatcher's most controversial remarks, that 'there is no such thing as society', became a lightning rod for criticism from academic and political opponents. Critics seized upon it as proof of crass individualism and ignorance of social philosophy, evidence of allegiance to pure…
Conservative philosophy distinguishes itself not through ideological purity but through its capacity to recognise partial truths in apparently opposing political traditions. This approach rejects the either-or thinking that dominates much political discourse, instead acknowledging that nationalism,…
The relationship between national identity and democratic government forms a crucial element of conservative political philosophy. Democracy cannot function as mere periodic elections, but requires enduring institutions, public spirit, and genuine accountability of rulers to the ruled. These…
Conservative philosophy recognises dimensions of human life that resist reduction to economic calculation or state management. Culture, beauty, the sacred, and civic virtue all represent realms of value that require different modes of understanding and preservation than those appropriate for…
The intellectual conservative occupies an unusual position in contemporary culture, where approximately 70 per cent of academics identify as leftist and surrounding culture increasingly attacks traditional values. Ordinary conservatives face constant accusations of being reactionary or prejudiced…
Nationalism identifies genuine truth about political community that progressive ideologies often miss. Political loyalty requires territorial grounding, arising through emergence of identities based on home, territory, and settlement rather than abstract universal principles. The French and British…
Capitalism's market mechanisms solve the fundamental economic coordination problem without requiring central planning. The price system transmits information about scarcity and demand far more efficiently than any bureaucratic alternative. Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek demonstrated that…
Multiculturalism recognises genuine reality: Western societies, particularly English-speaking ones, have developed civic cultures that free social membership from religious affiliation, racial ties, and ethnic exclusivism. The Enlightenment legacy created political communities where citizenship…
Internationalism pursues peace through cooperation between nations, a worthy goal reflecting genuine moral aspirations. The horrors of twentieth-century warfare demonstrated the need for mechanisms preventing armed conflict and facilitating peaceful dispute resolution. International institutions can…
Human life encompasses dimensions resisting reduction to economic calculation or administrative management. Culture, beauty, the sacred, and civic virtue represent realms requiring different understanding than material resources. High culture transmits accumulated wisdom, refined sensibility, and…
Conservative reflection must acknowledge genuine losses whilst avoiding retreat into mourning. We tell ourselves comforting stories about former times' innocence and cherish ambitions to curl up in doctored pasts from which grim bits have been excised. When we wake, we mourn loss of dreams. We…
By Roger Scruton
Subject
Themes
Conservative philosophy begins with a simple truth: good things are easily destroyed but difficult to create. This principle applies especially to collective assets such as peace, freedom, law, and civil society, which depend upon cooperation without any individual being able to secure them alone. Roger Scruton's defence of conservatism addresses this asymmetry between destruction and creation, arguing that conservatism represents the rational response to threats facing inherited goods.