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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Is Conservatism and What Is Wrong with It?
Last edited Fri Jul 31, 2015, 09:29 AM - Edit history (2)
One of the better essays on conservationism I have seen. Warning, it is long, but if you truly want to understand these folks and their motivations, this scholarly article by Philip E. Agre, a former UCLA professor is interesting read. It has been around for a while, so you may have come across it before.
Even if you find that you can't accept the author's explanation of the roots of conservationism skip to the end of the essay to where he offers useful suggestions as to how defeat conservatives and their philosophy.
Liberals in the United States have been losing political debates to conservatives for a quarter century. In order to start winning again, liberals must answer two simple questions: what is conservatism, and what is wrong with it? As it happens, the answers to these questions are also simple:
Q: What is conservatism?
A: Conservatism is the domination of society by an aristocracy.
Q: What is wrong with conservatism?
A: Conservatism is incompatible with democracy, prosperity, and civilization in general. It is a destructive system of inequality and prejudice that is founded on deception and has no place in the modern world.
These ideas are not new. Indeed they were common sense until recently. Nowadays, though, most of the people who call themselves "conservatives" have little notion of what conservatism even is. They have been deceived by one of the great public relations campaigns of human history. Only by analyzing this deception will it become possible to revive democracy in the United States.
//1 The Main Arguments of Conservatism
From the pharaohs of ancient Egypt to the self-regarding thugs of ancient Rome to the glorified warlords of medieval and absolutist Europe, in nearly every urbanized society throughout human history, there have been people who have tried to constitute themselves as an aristocracy. These people and their allies are the conservatives.
http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/conservatism.html
tenderfoot
(8,446 posts)I cannot think of any other way to put it.
apnu
(8,765 posts)"Conservatives are selfish pricks"
Populist_Prole
(5,364 posts)"Me me me me me MEEEEEEE!"
Freedom-loving slave drivers. Both in the literal sense, in history; and in the exploitation of labor by capital, in history through the present.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)damnedifIknow
(3,183 posts)and what's wrong with it is it's a mental disorder.
uhnope
(6,419 posts)Eisenhower was a Conservative and he wasn't against "democracy, prosperity, and civilization in general." I'm surprised that a UCLA prof would write something so simplistic. It reminds me of FOX News tracts about Liberals
I thought the exact same thing. If you want to understand conservatives, talk to a conservative. The same for liberals. Asking the opposition to define their opponent is just asking for a cartoon response.
philosslayer
(3,076 posts)Collectively, as a society, we have a right to feel safe, and to be free from violence (progressives)
Individually, I have a right to own a guy, and whatever gun I damn well please (conservative)
Collectively, as a society, we have a right to good schools, a functioning infrastructure, and proper healthcare
Individually, its my money dammit!! Who does the government think they are taking it from me? (conservative)
Lots of other examples, but thats my take.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)Hard to flush without breaking it into small pieces.
ProfessorGAC
(65,717 posts)He said this 11 years ago? I don't there's much merit to an overall thesis that was that far off the mark in its prediction.
While i'm anti-conservative too, there is an awful lot of conjecture in this piece and my complaint about his prediction caps it off!
Almost gone? On which planet?
On the Road
(20,783 posts)A: Conservatism is the domination of society by an aristocracy.
I cannot image where a definition like that came from. Most self-described American conservatives can't stand the aristocracy.
CajunBlazer
(5,648 posts).... but if you read the entire article, which is difficult at best, you will see how the author explains that conservatives leaders must hide their true objectives in order to work in our present American society.
Even if you do buy any of that, skip to the end of the essay when the author offers suggestions as to how defeat conservatives and their philosophy.
TransitJohn
(6,932 posts)motivated by hate, fear, and greed.