From: dpage@ra.csc.ti.com (Doug Page)
Subject: Re: What is a Conservative?
Organization: Texas Instruments
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 17:32:24 GMT

In article <treilly.721518923@vincent1.iastate.edu>, treilly@iastate.edu (Edward C Reilly) writes:
|> In <1992Nov11.141534.19179@ncsu.edu> jccompto@eos.ncsu.edu (JAMES C
|> COMPTON) writes:
|> 
|> 
|> >A conservative would support prostitution and drug legalization?
|> 
|> 
|>      In short, yes.  what we see today in mainstream politics is Not
|> Conservatism, but Neo-conservatism, simliar to, but distinct from true
|> Conservatism.  A Conservative believes in free market forces to shape
|> society, and that from those forces will emerge a moral society- that
|> good will overcome evil, because it is more powerful than evil.  We do
|> not see this type of thinking too much today, certainly not in our
|> media-run political system.  Even Jesse Helms is a crusader of
|> squelching pornograhy, which a conservative would disagree with.  Let it
|> defeat itself would be their position.
|>      point of interest:  William F. buckely favors legalizing drugs
|> 
|> For more on this, Read some of the conservative writings of the forties
|> and fifties for more of this.  in particular, Richard M. Weaver's "Idea's have
|> consequences" (1948) and "Life without prejudice"  (1965- posthumously
|> published) for more on this positions.

One must assume, of course, that the conservative writings of the forties and
fifties represent "true" conservatism.  There were after all only some 170+
years between the Declaration of Independence and the time frame you imply
that defines conservatism.  (Don't forget to include McCarthy-ism as part of
your definition of 'conservative')  A careful perusal of any dictionary
reveals that 'conservative' actually points to those who want to preserve the
status quo.  Were our founding fathers 'conservative'?  Absolutely not!  Are
those who support the views of our founding fathers conservative?  Absolutely.

It is often ignored on this newsgroup that historically, Republican party was
often the liberal party.  Despite the pretense to the contrary at the Demo
conventions, Lincoln was a Republican.  The abolition of salvery was hardly a
conservative stance.  The fight to preserve such an abolition would be a
conservative position.  The Democrats routinely 'forget' that it was southern
Democrats that wore the white sheets and threatened southern blacks in order
to insure that they would vote properly, if at all.  These threats were to
preserve the status quo, i.e., 'conservative'.  This type of conservatism is a
major reason that much of the deep south was, and to some extent still is,
made up of one party states.  Democrats are often very conservative when it
comes to conserving such organizations as trade unions.  Indeed, a portion of
Ross Perot's arguement was/is that both the Republicans and the Democrats are
conservative, even though what they wnat to 'conserve' is often very different.

Today's conotation of 'liberal' and 'conservative' virtually demands that each
is the antithesis of the other when in reality (not to mention historically)
one could very easily be both liberal and conservative at the same time. 
Abortion is one such area today.  Pro-choice is clearly a liberal position
(i.e., pro-civil liberties), and yet those fighting to preserve the 'right to
choose' are actually seeking to 'conserve' the status quo on Roe v. Wade.

Remember, today's liberal is often tomorrow's conservative.  Likewise,
yesterday's conservative was day before yesterday's neo-conservative.

dp

***  The opinions are mine (maybe) and do not necessarily represent those  ***
***  of my employer.                                                       ***
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