Conservatism: Cultural Dissolution Can Lead to Despotism

Abstract

Similar to libertarians, conservatives fear massive overhauls of a nation’s institutions, especially those leading to centralized government control. In part, they attribute the cultural dissolution in America to the federal takeover of health, education, and welfare. In addition to the centralizing threat, they fear the emerging identity politics that inspires groups to demand special consideration for past victimhood. They are even uneasy with the ideology of free markets. A market system erodes community, places a dollar value on human worth, promotes excessive consumption and gaudy displays, and leads to the bulldozing of neighborhoods in the name of profits. Conservatives want to raise ladies and gentlemen who have strong ties to family, community, and religion. I selected conservative champions – Burke, McCauley, De Tocqueville, Kirk, and Bogle – to show they are not against government services just wary of remote, centralized control and deficit spending. To see how conservative thought has influenced the Republican Presidential Platforms, I compare their planks with conservative thought.