Monday 9 July 2007

What is Conservatism?

Yesterday, puzzled by the constant expressions of dissatisfaction with the current Conservative leadership both in the press and, even more, on major Conservative blogs, I asked that most articulate of Conservatives to explain:

'When you have a moment would you say what it is that Conservatives want? You might miss out the bit about the 11 plus, but what is the wingeing about Mr Cameron? And why is the media so anti too?

What status quo is he disturbing?'

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Newmania said...

'Conservative Party members do you mean? They want immigration controlled , distance from the EU. lower taxes , reformed public services and benefits especially, and less state interference; less red tape , more prisons and harsher sentences, a special position for the family , parliament to be parliament. No regional government , English votes ( but not the break up of the Union usually ). Sub themes are support for small and local business , conservation generally of art , cultural memory , continuity ( eg history properly taught in schools) Parks. Buildings and the fabric of the country in innumerable ways [conserved]. The de-politicisation of the Police and its urgent reform ( possibly by a local accountable sherrif).
The return of [an] individual being responsible for his actions in a variety of ways. On foreign policy there is far less distinctive [positioning?] than say the Liberals who define themselves abroad( and are full of it .... few of them turned up at Hull with their bum bags to help). Its not coherent in the way Marxism is and the picture changes . In the Party Cameron is widely adored , the vocal minority and especially bloggers are misrepresentative. The Party as a whole is more (c)onservative and less libertarian.

On the media you mean the BBC ?, well there is good book out called "Can we trust the BBC" by Robin Aitken and it charts the shift of policy towards Independent style editorialising.

Put simply the BBC is a highly conservative and elitist organisation that defaults to the orthodoxies of the 60s and 70s.The vast majority of its perspective Oxbridge intake are of a certain political complexion . They are quick to report such systematic bias in the Police but , of course , blind to their own equally damaging Liberal agenda. Its subtle , to do with choice handling and presentation but enveloping nonetheless ( Europe is the fault line)

On the status quo he is disturbing, another time.'

This very social response, it might be understood as attitude of mind and the centrality of individual response and responsibility in political interaction , rather than the aggressively authoritarian social and economic policing offered by Labour, is light years away from the caricatures of conservatism offered, indeed, by the BBC.
To many who are not members of any political party, it is intensely attractive in seeking the private enjoyment of everyday life in a serene environment. The low-key , united vision of domestic and foreign policies reflects this aim of being on good terms with everyone but of having an established and, for us, culturally satisfying ways of conducting public affairs.

Riding hobby horses so furiously that the very conservative approach of pulling together to not just achieve a goal, but enact a way of living, is a betrayal of conservatism itself.

So who's applecart does this view of political conduct upset (apart from Labour?)

8 comments:

Newmania said...

Gosh I`m ever so flattered HG , I always feel a bit of a crude rustic compared to you.

"Riding hobby horses so furiously that the very conservative approach of pulling together to not just achieve a goal, but enact a way of living, is a betrayal of conservatism itself."

There is a lot of truth in this and I have recently read a book making this point in a sustained way tracing the roots of Conservatism philosphically seperate from the free market Libertarinaism with which it has become associated ands Neo Con ideological certainty.... Resonableness moderation pragamatism , these qualities used to be set against the "Scientific semonising of Labour."

Outside the blogasphere such qualities are still much in evidence. As I recently remarked , the pressing problem for today is removing Blair/Brown. The old Conservative Party would have kept its disagreements private. When it became a posturing sixth form debating society I have no idea.

( Of course I enjoy all that myself ...)

PS thanks for the corrections I `m afraid I am always short of time. David Allen who works for Lancet has told me that the frustration of not being able to edit my stuff is almost unbearable to him.

XXX

hatfield girl said...

When living in the Midlands the conservatism expressed there was pragmatic, open to discussion, caring of most, and vitriolic in its attitude to Longbridge. And some were manufacturers with closely integrated businesses and factories feeding the car industry.

It seemed then that if political debate (and policy choices) allowed itself to be defined by the reaction to an ideologically fired and organised workforce (and management), conservatism would lose; it would lose because in the end no-one in their right mind would accept the terms of the struggle although the ideologists were kamikazi enough to be willing to destroy the industry in their attempts to provoke the stand-off that was finally achieved by the miners.

With 20/20 hindsight, that scargillite folly which destroyed part of our energy industry should have met a more conservative response too.

Provocation (and entryism) - the trotskyoids had been working on it for decades.

Now the Labour party has finally got its trotskyoid leader in place, and the wholly repellent Straw policing the Party, it seems essential to close ranks as the conservatives you delineate, even for non-conservatives - we're all under threat.

Your remarks, as you wrote them, are in the comments on Sonnet; once I lifted large parts into a post it was 'silently edited' - which is permitted but if you prefer I'll reinstate it. I plead deformation professionnelle.

Newmania said...

I thought you were from Hatfield . You are such a mystery HG ....all adds to the allure :)

Newmania said...

PS ...is there anyone else like you ?

hatfield girl said...

Born and bred in Hatfield N; there are wittegensteinian family resemblances.

lilith said...

When I first read one of your posts Newmania(on Dale a year ago)I was extremely worried for your mental health...indeed Dale deleted my comment wherein I expressed the hope that you did not have either the keys to the medicine cabinet or a revolver at home. Since then I have realised that you just need a good Editor ;-)and a better typing speed, so as to keep up with your thoughts.

OT/ I nearly threw the radio out of the bathroom window this morning. Did you hear that rat Campbell on the Today programme? I hope he sells no books and that no one reads it. "It was true then and its true now..." he said, more than once.

Newmania said...

Oh yes Lillith ...I saw him being interviewed . In fact I have blogged on my moral hoorro that he is alive . My brother knows his wife would you believe9 he teached their children)

Newmania said...

...ouch teached ? ....sorry