Please stop using "conservative" to reference the Republican Party

[Caliman73]

12. What is the "theory" behind conservatism?

I listed two foundational thinkers from which others have developed the philosophy of conservatism. Can you tell me what conservatives believe at their core? Not what their policy proposals are (I.E. small government, family values, etc..) those are platitudes. What is their governing philosophy. Where does it come from?


Any human endeavor at governance can lead to authoritarianism, left or right. What I am talking about is the "natural" progression (if you can even use that term for completely socially constructed phenomena) based on core philosophy.