The term "conservative" has largely lost any meaning in the modern age. Conservatism used to be a coherent philosophy. I guess it is just in the nature of the thing that it must erode as times change.
Edmund Burke, Thomas Jefferson, and John Ruskin were of a different era than we are. They were of an era when industrialization and capitalism were just getting underway. They admired the beauty of the Gothic era, the simplicity of the Late Middle Ages. They saw religious natural law theory as the moral foundation upon which a good society must be built. They admired agrarianism and could see farming as a spiritual practice. They saw all art as a re-creation of divine creation. They saw the emergence of consumerism, urbanism, centralization, and the division of labor as a tragedy. The division of labor fragments the human mind, keeping one from becoming a well-rounded individual. While they praised the individual, they thought that an individual could be nothing without community. That was the mindset of traditional conservatism. The anti-materialism, anti-consumerism, and anti-industrialism of the traditional conservatives gives them some common ground with anti-capitalists, such as distributists, socialists, and anarchists. To some extent, I might even venture to claim that distributists and the Catholic Workers are the last traditional conservatives, as paradoxical as that may seem since these groups seem so "liberal" by modern conservative standards.
Modern conservatism is quite different, having nothing in common with traditional conservatism. The conservatism of Donald Trump doesn't praise the distributive justice and elegance of the Late Middle Ages but looks back to the era of Jim Crow as "the good ole days." Modern conservatives might not openly admit as much, but their "good ole days" is the 1950s and 60s and maybe a little of the 80s, time periods that really weren't good for minorities. Modern times have seen the total fragmentation of conservatism, so that conservatives no longer know what they want to conserve—they don't know what they stand for, they only know that they stand against progressives and liberals, whatever the hell that means! As for modern conservatism, damn it all to hell! The old traditional conservatism, however, is a movement I can respect, even though I cannot agree with it. Edmund Burke, Russell Kirk, Richard M. Weaver, and John Ruskin are the kind of conservatives that I can respect. I think, perhaps, that Francis Schaeffer and Wendell Berry can be counted as the last of the traditional conservatives.
At some point, I think I am going to write a series of posts on traditional conservatism. This project won't be happening any time soon, since it will require me to reread some things that I haven't looked at in years. The posts in the series will probably be as follows:
Intro post with background on Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas
1st post on Edmund Burke
2nd post on Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
3rd post on John Ruskin
4th post on Russell Kirk
5th post on Richard M. Weaver
6th post on Wendell Berry
7th post on Francis Schaeffer
8th post on the shortcomings of traditional conservatism, explaining why I reject conservatism
Final post on the decline of conservatism, detailing William F. Buckley and Irving Kristol's roles in killing conservatism, and possibly addressing the Trump phenomenon.
This will be a huge task and require a lot of research to pull off, but it might be worth it. This series of posts will be published with the title "Traditional Conservatism (Part _): ..." and there will likely be months between posts within the series, but hopefully it will all come together eventually.
Is anybody at all interested in such a series? Any suggestions about other things/persons that ought to be covered by such a series?
Update:
Upon giving it further thought, I realized that the ideas of Aristotle, Jefferson, and Madison would be outside the skope of the topic of this series.
This is what the current outline for this series is looking like it will be:
1st post on Thomas Aquinas and Edmund Burke
2nd post on John Ruskin
3th post on Russell Kirk
4th post on Richard M. Weaver
5th post on Wendell Berry
6th post on Cornelius van Til (?) and Francis Schaeffer
7th post on the shortcomings of traditional conservatism, explaining why I reject conservatism
Final post on the decline of conservatism, detailing William F. Buckley and Irving Kristol's roles in killing conservatism, and possibly addressing the Trump phenomenon.
a very good post my pal very loved it Walls that will be amazing suksus always make buddies and blessed
You have well explained everything in detail and finally we are able to clear the confusion that what's the main difference then and now. You said right that we are far away from the typical conservative era and living in the modern era where traditional conversation is no more.
You should spech this topic more and more to let us know more about it. Your alla rticles are worth read.Loving i
conservative ideology has lost in the middle of the way and it can be clearly seen
Hmm, seems like you're up for a huge task! Well, I admire such ambition and dedication. If you're passionate about it, I don't see why you shouldn't do it, even if takes a lot of time. I'm interested on your thoughts about traditional conservatism, so I'll be looking out for these posts :)
In the past I did a series of posts on Libertarian Socialism, but that was much easier because most of the ideas were still fresh in my mind. This series will definitely be harder to put together. It may be hard to believe, but there is actually a lot of common ground between libertarian socialism and traditional conservatism. They do discuss a lot of the same problems, but come up with different solutions. Socialism embraced industrialization (socialized production) and looked to socializing ownership as a way of solving the problems it brought. (Cf. Engel's Socialism: Utopian and Scientific) Traditional conservatism, however, really was more medievalist and sought to "turn back the clock" and cling to the old ancient ways. Distributism might actually be seen as a middle way between socialism and conservatism, trying to preserve the best of both worlds.
Hi sir hope you are doing pretty fine as you seems active person on steemit who posted all the stuff related to history. I love to read historian stories that what happened back. I'm newbie here so if I need any help from you how can I contact you?? Please do answer me
And please continue your speech on the traditional an snider conservatism. It's an interesting topic for all of us. 😊
I'd say they know all too well what they want to conserve: their billionaire plutocracy with its concomitant economic casino model which has loaded the dice in their favor; also the conservation of anything to do with the fetishism of anything Israeli...Oh, I know, we can't go there.
Anyway, I'd read it even if it's a pain in the Burkeside:)
this series would be a great thing on steemit keep making it @ekklesiagora
that's not bad idea, you should dot it for give some knowledge with us. Traditional Conservatism i think is all about philosophy...
I'm inrested to read about it in your post :)
wall that will be amazing
thats a great idea and just go for it do not think about falling down just do it if u want ur hearts want just do it man atleast me iwth u!
This is a big project, but I'd be interested in it. It's also the kind of thing there needs to be more of on steemit (but I think that about a lot of what you've written).
I'm only really familiar with Edmund Burke, and even then i's been a few years since I've read/thought about him. But there does seem to be a world of difference between his conservatism and that of modern conservatives - many of whom are just practising a form of identity politics.
Helloo @ekklesiagora
Me, @menulissejarah (writing history)
I see articles and photos on your post, have a historical, education, and cultural value of an area. This post is certainly very interesting to add insight in the field of history.
If you do not mind, I will resteem this post in my account. Thanks.
Date: January, 26, 2018
Helloo @ekklesiagora
Saya, @menulissejarah (#menulissejarah)
Saya melihat artikel dan foto pada postingan milikmu, memiliki nilai sejarah, pendidikan, dan budaya suatu daerah. Postingan ini tentunya sangat menarik untuk menambah wawasan di bidang ilmu sejarah.
Jika kamu tidak keberatan, saya akan resteem postingan ini di akun saya. Terima kasih.
Tanggal: 26 Januari 2018
@ekklesiagora, That would be a great historical story. Perhaps its going across present political side. Also nicely describe Modern conservatism between traditional conservatism. Appreciated blog post.
That's a nice post thanks for sharing the ideas behind it helped me to know more about it
Just do it. Good that it will not come out anytime soon because right now I have my exams and if you would publish it right now I would be probably end up reading your stuff and some other stuff related to yours instead of doing my own reading.
Wow.Your all post is really different and amazing.I would really like to read your post .Thanks for sharing @ekklesiagora
100% upvote and resteem done sir.
Exactly sir, the "conservative" word is just lost by all means in this modern era. Thank you so much for making this post about Edmund Burke, Thomas Jefferson, and John Ruskin to clear the meaning of conservative.
This is the great difference between traditional and Modern conservatism. You'r determinant and passionate about writng such topics so you should start writing a Series on Traditional Conservatism soon. We are with you :)
Nice to decided share very important political problem to community. I have never heard some contest. But Now I have some best knowledge because your post about conservatism. Thank for the effort sir.
Glad to read your interesting writing @ekklesiagora.
Well explained what about conservative.
Thank you, you will provide a great resource for the future.
lot of research would be there for sure no doubt bro i will be really thankful to you always :)
That is wonderful post sir. it is very interesting and great writing experience.
@ekklesiagora
100% like and resteem
will be looking for your post's where you will give information about it thanks for sharing
thanks for sharing about them i got to know a lot from your post :)
well for sure it is a great idea.. <3 great
Indeed a true and wise quote !Keep it going buddy !
you should definitely write a series after reading this one i am sure you will be doing the right justice to it
it would be really cool to see ...but until then it was a nice post to discover something basics
It is great article and great writing .thanks for sharing
Thanks @ekklesiagora
Have a great day
great story of his
being happy is what makes this society and world to progress further
Modern conservatism is going on a different part but the core values need to be followed