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r el ude
t o
i al ogue
r i l i m nai res
di al ogue
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Canadi an J our nal of P o l i t i c a l
and
Soci al Theor yl Revue
canadi enne de t heori e
pol i t i queet soci al e,
Vol
1,
No
2 ( Spr i ng- Summer/ Pr i nt emps- Et e, 1977)
THE
MYTHOF
THE
RE
TORY
Rod
Preece
Rarel y
do
a b s t r a c t academc t heor i es
pr ovoke
i mmedi at e and cont ent i ous
react i on i n
t he pragmat i c
wor l d of
compet i t i ve party p o l i t i c s
P r ac t i c al p o l i t i c s ,
i t i s
commonl y
supposed,
c on s i s t
i n
compromse,
brokerage,
pat r onage
and,
above a l l el ect i oneer i ng
t he
t radi t i ons andmodes of
p o l i t i c a l
t hought
ar e
con-
si dered
a l i e n
t o t he
i mmedi acyof
p o l i t i c a l exper i ence
Yet p o l i t i c a l comment at or s ,
pract i si ng p o l i t i c i a n s amongs t
t hem
enl i vened
t he t e l e v i s e d proceedi ngs
of
t he February, 1976 Progressi ve
Conservat i ve
l eadershi p convent i on
w t h a somet i mes banal , somet i mes
i l l umnat i ng,
di s c us -
si on of
t he
phi l osophi cal
compl exi t i es
of t he RedTory phenomenon
ndone
1976 l eadershi p
candi dat e
demanded
t he expul si on
of
t he
RedTor i es from
t he
part y
because
t h e i r
phi l osophy
resembl ed
t oo
c l o s e l y
t hat of
t he L i b e r a l s ,
whi l e
a promnent j o u r n a l i s t
count er edw t h
t he c l a im
t hat
t he
Red
Tor i es
were
t he
onl y l audabl e
members
of
t he
par l i ament ary party Moreover , chat eau
c l i que
Conservat i ves
and even some
of t h e i r l e s s ext remst col l eagues
use
Red
Tory
as an expl et i ve t o denounce
f el l ow caucus members
w t h an
aversi on
t o t he l a i s s e z - f a i r e doct r i ne
I n a l l
t he
di scussi on and
t he
vi gorous
i nv ec t i v e, however , no c l e ar
pi ct ure
of
t he Red Tory emer ges On
occasi on he appears as a benevol ent Conservat i ve
devoi d of
t he
s t e r n e r v i r t ues ,
on
occasi on as
a Conservat i ve
who
put s
order
bef ore
f r eedom Somet i mes
he
i s
seen
as
t he
def ender of
l ower
c l as s
r i g h t s ,
somet i mes as
t he
enemy
of
f r e e ent erpr i se
t
i s
c l e ar who t he Red
Tor i es i n t he
Progress i ve
Conservat i ve Part y ar e consi dered t o be
Fl ora
MacDonal d,
J ohn
Fraser and GordonFai rweat her are among
t he
more
obvi ous Reds
ut i t i s
not
al ways as
c l e ar
what di st i ngui shi ng c har a ct e r i s t i c s
t he
Red Tor i es are
deemed t o p o s s e s s , al t hough c o l l e c t i v i s t
Conservat i ve
and s o c i a l i s t Conser-
vat i ve areamong t he descr i pt i ons
empl oyed by t h e i r det ract ors i nsi de
t he
par-
t y and compassi onat e Conservat i ve
and humani t ar i an
Conservat i ve
are
epi t het s of f ered by
t h e i r
admrers
What
t hen,
i s
a Red
Tory,
andwhat
i mpor t ance
does
t he
concept have
f or
under st andi ng Canadi an
p o l i t i c a l pr a c t i c e? The termwas empl oyed by Gad
Horow t z,
and
i t
recei ved i t s
w dest
currency i n hi s Canadi an Labour
i n
P o l i t i c sor owi t z consi ders
t r a d i t i o n a l
Tory i deas to be
corporat e- organi c-
c o l l e c t i v i s t whi l e t hose
of l i beral i smare
rat i onal i st - egal i t ari an
and i n-
The author wshes
t o
thank the CanadaCounci l and the Wl fri d
Laur i er
Uni vers i t y
Research
GrantsCommttee f or wel come research
funds
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ROPREECE
di vi dual i s t
. 3 The
Red
Tory
i s a consc i ous i deol ogi cal Conser vat i ve w t h
some
`odd s o c i a l i s t
not i ons
or a
consci ous
i deol ogi cal s o c i a l i s t w t h
some
odd
Tory
not i ons
Such
Conser vat i ves
and
s o c i a l i s t s
a r e
seen
t o
have
s i g n i f i c a n t l y
more
i n
common
w t h each
ot her
than ei t her
has
w t h
t he
L i be r a l s
The tory and s o c i a l i s t mnds have some
c r u c i a l
ass umpt i ons, ori ent ati ons
and
val ues i n common so that froma c e r t a i n
angl e
theymay appear not as
enem es
but as
t wo
di f f erent express i ons
of
t he
same ba s i c
i deol ogi cal out l ook Thus, at
t he
very hi ghest l e v e l ,
t he
r ed t or y i s a phi l osopher who
combi nes
e l ement s of
t oryi sm
and
soci al i sm
so
t horoughl y
i n
an
i nt egrated Wel t anschauung t hat
i t i s
i mpossi bl e
t o say t hat he i s a
proponent
of ei t her
one
as agai nst t he ot her .
George
Grant , as evi denced i n
hi s Lament f or
a
Nat i on i s
offered as
an
exam
pl e
of a
t hor oughgoi ng
Red
Tory,
whi l e
L
Mort on?
and
Eugene
Forsey
( the
l a t t e r
bef ore
hi s
conversi on
t o
Trudeauesque Li beral i sm
are vi ewed respect i vel y
as Conser vat i ve and s o c i a l i s t proponent s
of
t heRedTory posi t i on
For Horow t z, t he pr i mary
c a r r i e r of
t he Tory
i deol ogy i n Canada
has
been t he
Conservat i ve Part y
Heconcedes
t hat I t
woul d not be
c o r r e c t t o say
t hat t oryi sm
i s
t he
i deol ogy of
t he
party or even t hat some Conser vat i ves are
pure
t o r i e s
The pr i mary
component
of
t he i deol ogy
of
busi ness-ori ent ed
p a r t i e s
s
l i b e r a l i sm
but
there are power f ul t r a c e s of
t he
ol d
l i b e r a l
out l ook
i n
t he B r i t i s h Conser vat i ve
p a r t y , and
l e s s
power f ul but s t percept i bl e t r a c e s of i t
i n
t he Canadi an
party
8 He adds t hat I t i s pos si bl e to percei ve i n
Canadi an
Conservat i sm
not
onl y
t he
el ement s of
busi ness l i b e r a l i sm
and or t hodox
e l i t i s t -
c o l l e c t i v i s t
t oryi sm
but
a l s o an
el ement of
tory
democr acy or
tory
r adi cal i sma
p a t e r n a l i s t i c
concern f or
t he condi t i on
of
t he
wor ki ng c l a s s and
a pi cture of
t he Conservat i ve
Party as
t h e i r
champi on agai nst unenl i ght ened
el ement s of
t he
bourgeoi si e .
9
The
Horow t z
t h es i s
has by nowbecome a part of
Canadi an
academc con-
vent i onal w sdom t
has
had a
s i g n i f i c a n t
i nf l uence
on subsequent wri t i ngs on
Canadi an
p o l i t i c a l
t hought
W
Chr i s t i an
and
C
Campbel l s
Po l i t i c a l Pa r t i e s
and I deol ogi es i n Canada bei ng
t he most not abl e recent
exampl e) ,
and i t
s e r v e s t o
provi de
rat i onal i zat i ons f or
students who ar e
unabl e
t o di s t i ngui sh t he
behav i our of
Canadi an
p o l i t i c a l
pa r t i e s
I t i s a l s o e n t i r e l y m s l eadi ng w t h
regard bot h t o Conser vat i ve phi l osophy and Conservat i ve
p r a c t i c e
and w t h
r e s p e c t bot h
t o
t he present
and
t he
past of Conservat i sm
The t h es i s offered here i s t hat
Conservat i sm
i s
e x p l i c i t l y
more
a fo rm
of
Whi g
than
Tory
do c t r i ne , and has
been
s i nce i t s or i gi ns i n
t he ni net eent h
century
and
hence busi ness l i b e r a l i sm i s an i n t e gr a l not an al i en aspect of Conser-
vat i sm
t hat
Grant ,
Horow t z, and
Chr i s t i an
and Campbel l conf use Conser-
vat i smw t h
absol ut i sm
and romant i ci sm and
t hat t he Tor yi sm they descri be
has
had a
negl i gi bl e
e f f e c t on
Engl i sh
Canadi an
po l i t i c al pr a c t i c e , a t l ea s t s i n c e
t he 1840 sand, f or
that mat t er , t s i nf l uence
on
B r i t i s h
Conservat i sm
has
been
of onl y
secondary
s i gni f i cance
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R
TORY
The
Fr ench Revol ut i on
was
t he
c a t a l y s t
not
onl y of
a new
p o l i t i c a l
order
s
a
r a t i o n a l i s t i c
product of
t he
r a di c al
Enl i ght enment ,
t
t r ansf ormed
some
nai vel y i magi ne t hat
w t h
Dest ut t
de Tracy t i nt r oduced
p o l i t i c a l i deol ogy
Hencef orward, p o l i t i c a l phi l osophy
woul d address i t s e l f
t o
t he
assumpt i ons,
pr ecept s
and
p r a c t i c e s
of
t he revol ut i on
To
be s u r e t he
r a t i o n a l i s t era had
begun
l ong before, w t h Bacon, Hobbes
andMachi avel l i
But
t he
e s s e n t i a l l y i n -
d i v i d u a l i s t i c
el ement s of rat i onal i sm
had
appear ed even e a r l i e r
i n
t he
wor ks of
Aqui nas, who
i n hi s
Commentary
on t he
N chomachean
E t h i c s
had
concei ved
of
s o c i e t y not as
anal ogous
w t h an or gani sm but
as a uni t of order
whi ch
guarant eed
and
rei nf or ced
a
s i g n i f i c a n t
sphere
of
i ndi vi dual
i ndependence
.
nd i n
t he
Summa contra gent i l es
Aqui nas had
not ed
further
t hat there
not
onl y a
communal good but
a l s o a
humangood whi ch does
not
c ons i s t i n a
communi ty
but pert ai ns to each i ndi vi dual
as a
s e l f
. 12
I t
woul d,
of
c o u r s e
be
unwarr ant abl e
t o
vi ew
St
Thomas
as i n any manner t he f at her of
revol ut i on
I ndeed,
i n
t he
Summa t heol ogi ca
he espoused t he t r a d i t i o n a l
Cat hol i c vi ewof
s o c i e t y as a
system
of
ends
and purposes i n whi ch t he
l ower
s e r v e s t he hi gher
and t he hi gher d i r e c t s
and
gui des t he
l ower
13
Nonethel ess,
t
i n S t
Thomas
wr i t i ngs
t hat we
s e e
t he
dem se
of
f eudal
phi l osophy
i n whi ch, t o exaggerate
t he poi nt , t he
i ndi vi dual
e x i s t e d
s o l e l y f or ends
other
t han
hi s
own
t s
i ndeed
i n
Aqui nas t hat we
f i r s t w tness t he o r i g i n s of
t he
emanci pat i on
of t he
i n -
di vi dual from e uda l i s t f e t t e r s
14
Wth Aqui nas
t he
st age
was bei ng s e t f or a
phi l osophi cal cl i mat e
i n whi ch t he i ndi vi dual s
s e l f - r e a l i z a t i o n woul d become
t he c r i t e r i o n of a successf ul
p o l i t y
t was t h i s mode
of t hought and t s a t t e n -
dant conduct
whi ch, i n t he
manner
i n whi ch
t was
devel oped
i n t he wr i t i ngs of
Condor cet , Hel vet i us,
Vol tai re and t he
Encycl opaedi st s
as t he
emanci pat i on of
t he
passi ons,
cul m nat ed i n t he
French
Revol ut i on
Thr ee maj or
opposi t i onal
s t r a i n s
emer ged
f r om
t he
Revol ut i on
t he
s e l f -
i nt erested
rat i onal i zat i ons of
t he t hreat ened
and
t he
di spossessed
ab-
sol ut i sm
p o l i t i c a l r omant i ci sm andBur kean
Whiggi sm
Al l
three have been,
and
a r e
commonl y
l abel ed
` c o ns e r v at i v e
al t hough
t hey are d i s c r e t e
and
usual l y
cont radi ctory
phenomena
Thi s commonal i t y of l a b e l however ,
has
l ed
t o
a
cont i nued
m sunder st andi ng of
t he nat ure
of
t he
conser vat i sm
whi ch has
i nf l uenced Canada, B r i t a i n and, t o
a l e s s e r but
not
i nsi gni f i cant
degree, t he
Uni t ed
S t a t e s
The l ongest- l i ved
and most successf ul versi on of r eact i onary
absol ut i sm
was
i n
t he
successi ve
and
conf used
Germani c
r egi mes of
t he
ni net eent h
century
Despi t e t he preval ence
of l i b e r a l nat i onal i st i d e a l s at
l e a s t
amongst
t he
i n -
t e l l i g e n t s i a t he
i n a b i l i t y t o over come
t he
petty
part i cul ari sm
of t he
mnor p r i n -
c i p a l i t i e s
f or ced l i b e r a l thi nkers to be
devoi d
of l a s t i n g i nf l uence or t o si de
equi vocal l y and
despai r i ngl y w t h
t he
Hapsburgs
or t he
Hohenzol l erns i n order
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R TORY
more or l e s s restored
Pr uss i a
r emai ned
an
unr egener at e
andunr epent ant
autocracy
whi ch f ound nour i shment i n t he
t ur gi d but compel l i ng prose of
Hegel
Unl i ke
von
Gent z,
Hegel
was
nobody s
dupe
but
he
wove
such
a
t a n -
gl ed
web
of phi l osophi cal i nt r i gue t hat f reedom
was
f u l f i l l e d i n t s
own nega-
t i o n
For Hegel ,
t he s t a t e was
t he
possessor of
i n f a l l i b l e know edge, t ol er ance
t hus
became
a c r i mnal weaknes s , and t he
i ndi vi dual achi eved hi s
f reedom
i n
subor di nat i ng hi mel f t o t he s t a t e , f or t he
aggr andi zement of whi ch he e x -
i s t e d
and acted
t hr ough
t he cunni ng
of r eason ,
andwhi ch,
as
odwal ki ng
upon t he
ear t h ,
was
t he
embodiment
of
mral i t y, reason and s p i r i t
Ther e
s
of course, much
more t o Hegel t han hi s theory of t he
s t a t e
hi s j u s t i f i a b l y
renowned
c r i t i c a l d i a l e t i c , f or
exampl e
ut
i n so
f ar as Hegel
was
a
conser vat i ve
and
i n so f ar as
erman
conser vat i ves
acknow edged
t h e i r i ndebt edness t o
Hegel ,
t
was Hegel s
abs o l u t i s t
St aat st heor i e
whi ch was
s i g n i f i c a n t
I f
Hegel
was
not
t he
r a t i ona l i z e r
of
Hohenzol l er n
dynast i c i n t e r e s t s ,
nonet hel ess t he
Hohenzol l er ns coul d have w shed
f or no better champi on
WthHegel at
l e as t w t h Hegel as he was
i nt er pr et ed
by hi s cont em
po r a r i e s
we have
t he epi t omzed
pr oponent
of
Hor ow t z
corporate-
o r g a n i c - c o l l e c t i v i s t
phi l osophy,
al t hough there s no ed
Tory
el ement ,
no
def ence of t he i n t e r e s t s of
t he-underpr i vi l eged
I ndeed, f or
Hegel ,
no
def ence
s
necessar y
The
pr i nce
represents
t he
s p i r i t
and
w i l l
of
t he
whol e
peopl e
Uni ver sal f reedom
s achi eved
onl y
when
t s
r e a l i z e d i n
an
i ndi vi dual but
there
ar e
no necessary c o n f l i c t s among
i ndi vi dual s or
among c l as s e s
Di s t i nct i ve
c l as s e s e x i s t
as organi c whol es , e a c hw th t s
own i n t r i n s i c honour ,
but t he
ob-
j e c t i v e
f reedom
of
l l s
r eal i zed not i n t he
mobi l i t y t o t r anscend c l as s ,
nor
i n
t he
i ndi vi dual pur sui t
of excel l ence
w thi n
c l a s s ,
but i n acqui escence i n one s
e s t a t e and
submss i on t o
t he
absol ut e
s t a t e
i n
whi ch
l l c o n f l i c t s subsi de
Hegel s
t hought was,
i ndeed,
g r i s t
t o
t he
ml l of
absol ut i sm
However , i n -
sofar as
Hegel s
phi l osophy of
t he
s t a t e may be descr i bed
as conser vat i ve
t hough
reac t i onary or absol ut i st
mght
be
more
appr opr i at e
cat egor i es
t
s
not
a
conser vat i smwhi ch has
had
any i nf l uence on
Canadi an
t hought or prac-
t i c e
Ther e
wer e no
B r i t i s h
c o l l e c t i v i s t
Hegel i ans t o i nf l uence B r i t i s h Nor t h
Amer i ca or t he nascent
Canadi an
s t a t e To
be
s u r e , B r i t i s h
i d e a l i s t s such as
Gr een,
Bosanquet
and
Hobhouse owed a measur e of
acknow edged
debt t o
Hegel , and
Bosanquet
espoused
c e r t a i n el ement s of hi s s t a t i s m
but
nonecoul d
i nany s i g n i f i c a n t
measur e
be
descri bed as cor por at e- or gani c- c o l l e c t i v i s t
To f i nd
phi l osopher
r emot el y
r epr esent i ng corporate- organi c- c o l l e c t i v i s t
t hi nki ng i n B r i t i s h i deati onal
h i s t o r y , ot her
per haps t han
Bosanquet
and
Hobhouse
(both
of
whom
wer e
l i b e r a l s ,
not c ons e r v at i v es , one
has t o
r e s o r t
t o
work
pr i or t o t he
revol ut i on of 1688, t o t he hapl ess Rober t Fi l mer and
h i s
Pat nar cha publ i shed i n 1680 Fi l mer pr eached t he
di vi ne
r i g h t
of
ki ngs and t he
dut y of passi ve obedi ence
t o t he
monarch Al r eady an
anachr oni smwhen t was
w i t t en, Pat r i ar cha s onl y
si gni f i cance was t he
easy spor t t afforded
Al ger non
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ROPREECE
Si dney
and
J ohn Locke i n r ef ut i ng
i t s
ever y poi nt
Probabl y
t he l a s t r eputabl e
def ence
of medi aeval
and f eudal
concept i ons of s o c i e t y i n B r i t a i n
wer e
S i r
Thomas
Mor e s
Ut opi a
( 1516) , i n
whi ch
was
advocat ed
a cooper at i ve
com
monweal th i ni mcal
t o
emer gi ng
c a p i t a l i s t pr i nc i p l es ( whereby
i t
was becom
i ng
mor al l y
l audabl e t o buy abr oad very cheap and s e l l agai n exceedi ng
dear ) , and Ri char d Hooker s Laws of
Ec cl es i a s t i c a l
Pol i ty ( 1594- 97
and
post humousl y) i n
whi ch wer e def ended t he r i g h t s
of
t he
est abl i shed chur ch v i a
a necessary
obedi ence
of l l c i t i z e n s
t o t he
l aw
f or
a l l t i me because cor por a-
t i o n s are
i mmor t al
For Hooker , Ther e i s
no way
i n
whi ch a s o c i e t y can
w t hdr aw
i t s
consent f r om
an
aut hor i t y
whi ch i t has
s et
up
I t
woul d
nonet hel ess
be
an
exagger at i on
t o
vi ew
t hese
phi l osophi es
i n
Hor ow t z
c ol l ec -
t i v i s t t erms, al t hough c o l l e c t i v i s t
el ement s are c l e a r l y
cont ai ned
w t h i n them
Af t er Fi l mer , Engl i sh
phi l osophy l o s t
t he r emai ni ng v es t i ges
of i t s Tor y i deas
at l ea s t i f
Tor ymeant
cor por at e- or gani c- col l ect i vi st
Cer t ai nl y,
Tor y i deas
mght
have
cont i nued
t o f l o u r i s h
w t hout
any
sophi st i cat ed
l i t e r a t u r e t o bol ster
t h e i r cause
ut
al r eady by t he ear l y ei ght eent h cent ur y Mont esqui eu was
descri bi ng
Engl andas
t he nat i on
par
excel l ence
of
l i b e r t y
andof
capi t al i sm
and
t he nat i on
where
i ndi vi dual i smabounded l
y
our
modern
st andar ds we
mght consi der Mont esqui eu t o
have
exagger at ed
t he
poi nt ,
but
i t i s
c l ea r
t hat
i n s o f a r
a s
l i b e r t y
capi t al i sm
and
i ndi vi dual i sm
f l our i shed
more i n
Engl and
t han el sewher e t hey wer e accompani ed
by
a dem se i n that cor por at e- or gani c-
c o l l e c t i v i s t
i deol ogy
t hat woul d have denounced
them Tor yi sm
as a
phi l osophy i n Br i t ai n was
mori bund
by 1688
;
a s an i deol ogy
even,
i t
was
c e a s -
i ng t o
have
i nf l uence by 1789, t hough i t woul d be r evi ved i n novel form n t he
Vi ct or i an er abyCar l yl eandDi s r a e l i
The second r eact i on agai nst t he Fr ench
Revol ut i on i s
t o befound i npol i t i cal
r omant i ci smwhi ch
had i t s
o r i g i n s i n t he Fr ench r e l i g i ous t r a di t i ona l i s t s J oseph
de
Mai st r e,
Loui s de
Bonal d
and
F e l i c i t e
de
Lamennai s
Thei r s
was
t he
bel i ef
t hat a l l s o c i e t a l i l l s
coul d
be ascr i bed t o
t he Fr ench
Revol ut i on and
t he
r a d i c a l
Enl i ght enment
whi ch hadspawned i t
Thei r s
was
a
f eudal bel i e f
i n
t he
v i r t u e s
of
absol ut i st
r oyal i sm
and
p a t e r n a l i s t i c
r e l i g i on i n
t he
need
f or man t o be
governed,
and
i n
t he need
f or him
o
be
gover ned accor di ng t o t r anscendent al ,
and usual l y
ul t r amont ani st ,
pr i nci pl es
Above
l l t hey despi sed t he
u n s a t i s f y -
i ng
pr et ent i ons of
i ndi vi dual
l i b e r t y
t he
gr eedy mat er i al i smof capi t al i smand
t he ar r ogant
pr et ended
omni sci ence of s c i e n t i f i c t hought
The more
el abor at e
p o l i t i c a l r omant i ci sm whi ch emerged f rom t r a d i -
t i onal i smwas
devel oped
mai nl y i n t he s o c i a l p o l i t i c a l
and
economc
conf usi on
t hat
was Germany
and t ook var i ous
f orms
i n
t he wr i t i ngs
of Schl ei ermacher ,
F Wvon
Schel l i ng
and von Savi gny,
but
i t s most compl et e and
i nf l uent i al
spokesman was dam
Mul l er who t hought of
t he
cor por at i ve s o c i e t y of
medi aeval
f eudal i sm
a s an absol ut e i deal Yet , l i k e Hegel , he g l o r i f i e d t he
8/10/2019 VOL01NO2_2
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R
TORY
s t a t e ,
descri bi ng i t a s a mor al per sonal i t y
and as
t he
eternal
a l l i a n c e
of
men
among
t hemsel ves
The s t a t e i s not a mere
i ndust r y, an
e s t a t e ,
an i nsurance
agency or a commer ci al
est abl i shment
;
i t i s t he ear nest
associ at i on
of t he
t o t a l
physi cal and s p i r i t u a l
needs,
t he
t o t a l
p hy s i c a l
and
s p i r i t u a l property,
t he t o t a l
domest i c
and
external l i f e of a nat i on i none great
ener get i c,
i n f i n i t e
and
a c t i v e whol e
1
The
p o l i t i c a l
r omant i cs
deni ed
t he
i nherent
equal i t y of al l humanbei ngs, r e -
j ected economc
compet i t i on and i t s at t endant l awof
suppl y
and
demand and
demanded
t he
r ei mposi t i on of
t he
aut hor i t ar i an
const i t ut i ve
pri nci pl es
of t he
pr e- absol ut i st
medi aeval s t a t e
As
Kur t Rei nhar dt has expressed
i t The s t a t e
was
no l onger
consi der ed
a s amechani cal aggr egat i on of
i ndi vi dual s
but
a s an
or gani c whol e whose
f unct i ons
wer e
not conf i ned t o t he
mai nt enance of
l aw
and
order but
i ncl uded t he p o l i t i c a l , s o c i a l , moral ,
and r e l i g i o u s
educat i on
of
i t s c i t i z e n s
Human s o c i e t y
i n i t s
concrete h i s t o r i c
mani f est at i ons was t o be
s t r i c t l y
del i mt ed
by a
communi ty
of
l i n g u i s t i c , moral ,
and
r a c i a l
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
19
t
i s t h i s phi l osophy
whi ch
most
c l o s e l y r esembl es
Hor ow t z
RedTor y i sm
and
whi ch
i s
aki n
t o
t he i deas espoused by Gr ant
i n hi s Lament f or aNat i on I t
r e j e c t s
bot h
i ndus t r i al i sm
wher eby, i n Mi i l l e r s
words,
t he pr ol et ar i an
l oses
t he
si mpl e,
natural f eel i ng of
wel l - bei ng whi ch
i s
t he
hal l mar k of
t he
uncor-
rupted peasant ,
and
r e c ei v es
not hi ng
i n
exchange
20
nd capi t al i sm As a
precursor t o
Mar x, and i n l anguage l a t e r
bor r owed
by
Her ber t
Marcuse, Mul l er
r a i l e d
agai nst
t he
d i v i s i o n
of l abour
and
t he
one- di mensi onal
man
i t
pr oduces
Wen
t he d i v i s i o n of l abour
i n t he
l a r g e
c i t i e s
and
manuf act ur i ng
and
mni ng r egi ons d i s s e c t s men f u l l y
f r e e men
i n t o
wheel s, c ogs , c y l i nde r s , spokes, spi ndl es
and
t he
l i k e , i t r e s t r i c t s
them
o a
t o t a l l y
one- di mensi onal
sphere
of t he
al r eady one- di mensi onal
spher e
of t he
s a t i s f a c t i o n
of a s i ngl e need 2 1
The
f undament al di f f er ence
i s
t h a t ,
whi l e Mar x f oresees a r a d i c a l i z a t i o n
of
t he
nature
of
i ndustr i al
econom
t hr ough a prol et ar i an revol ut i on,
Mul l er r e j e c t s
i ndus t r i al i sm and eul ogi zes
t he f eudal
a g r i c u l t u r a l communi ty z z
Whereas
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RO
PREE E
Marx
consi der s t he s t a t e t o
f unct i on
as t he execut i ve
comm t t ee
of t he
bour geoi si e and
t o
be
dest i ned as t he t empor ar y
embodi ment
of
pr ol et ar i an i n -
t e r e s t s
before
t
wi t her s
away,
f o r Mi i l l e r
i t
an
eternal
a l l i a n c e r epr esent i ng
t he
i n t e r e s t s of
t he t o t a l i t y
of
t he peopl e
P o l i t i c a l
r omant i ci sm
t hen, i nvol ves a s t a t i c concept i on of s o c i e t y i n whi ch
order ousts l i b e r t y
s o l i d a r i t y
r e pl a ces i ndi vi dual i ty
and dut i es predetermne
r i g h t s
The
maj or
pr oponent
of
t h i s
phi l osophy i n Br i t ai n was
Thomas
Car l yl e
who attacked
l a i s s e z - f a i r e
theory and par l i ament ar y
gover nment
and espoused
t he s t r o n g p a t e r n a l i s t i c s t a t e
I n hi s Past and
Present
( 1843) Car l yl e contrasted
t he di sor der of cont empor ar y s o c i e t y wi t h t he s e c u r i t y and s t a b i l i t y of twel f th
century Engl and
The
Engl i sh
r omant i cs
( Col er i dge, Sout hey,
Ki ngs l ey
and
Ruski n
among them
r ej ected
moder ni t y
and i t s
di s com i t i ng
economc
p r a c -
t i c e s
They want ed a return t o the f eudal
agr i cul t ur al communi ty Not
so
Bur ke,
who
r ecogni zed t he worth
of
t he
ei ght eent h
century
l and
encl osur es
Li ke
t he r omant i cs , Di s r a el i i n hi s
novel s Tancr ed,
Sybi l
and
Coni ngsby
espoused a phi l osophy of an organi c
f eudal uni on
of
t he c l a s s es
of
Engl and
under t he l eader shi p of t he
t r adi t i onal l anded
a r i s t o c r a c y whi ch Bur ke had
cast i gat ed as
an
austere and i nsol ent domnat i on After a per i od as a Radi cal
wi t h
three
pr oms i ng
but
unsuccess f ul at t empt s
agai nst Whi gs t o
secure
a
par l i ament ar y
s e a t Di s r a el i was
accept ed by
t he
Tor i es and
j oi ned
an
anachr oni st i c e l i t i s t
gr oup
c a l l e d `Young Engl and
whose
cr eed
was
an
e sc api s t r omant i c bel i ef i n t he v i r t u es of t he ol d f eudal s ys t emunder whi ch, as
they mai nt ai ned, t he nobl eman
and
hi s peasant s wer e bound by t i e s of
mutual
l o y a l t y
and
benevol ence, t he
hurchwas an i nt egr al par t of
s o ci et y
and
t he
monarch
not
onl y
r ei gned but
r ul ed
. 23
Di srael i was, i ndeed, aTory, not aconservat i ve, at l ea st i n hi s wr i t i ngs
i
not
al ways
i n hi s p o l i t i c a l p r a c t i c e Hi s was t he desi r e t o r e s u r r e c t t he pr e- 1688
p a t e r n a l i s t i c
s t a t e
t o r e a l i z e
hi s i mage
of a humani t ar i an
f eudal i sm
whi ch,
i n
f a c t
had
not
pr evi ousl y
ex i s t e d
and
t o
negat e
t he
recent
B r i t i s h
hi s tory so ad-
mred
by
Mont esqui eu,
Locke
and
Bur ke
Conservat i sm
i n t he B r i t i s h
s e n s e
was
a
new
phenomenon
now
cast i gat ed by Di s r a el i
I ndeed, t
was i n response
t o t he wr i t i ngs of
Edmund
Bur ke t hat a consci ous pr i nc i pl ed conser vat i sm f i r s t
achi eved
any
p o l i t i c a l i nf l uence
Burke s French
d i s c i p l e s
coi ned t he
t e rm
` c o ns er v at i v e whi ch was adopt ed
by
t he newB r i t i s h party
t hat
was now
a
mx-
ture of
ol d
Whi gsand l i b e r a l Tor i es
once t he
f ol l ower s of P i t t and Port l and
had
uni t ed
The
Conservat i sm
whi ch
super seded
Tor yi smwas a synt hesi s of waxi ngWhi g
and wani ng
Tory
doctr i nes,
sympathet i c
t o
t he
bur geoni ng
capi tal i sm
f avour abl e
to greater
r e l i g i o u s
tol erat i on
and
amenabl e t o i f not
ent husi ast i c
about ,
t he
p o l i t i c a l
emanci pat i on
of t he
mddl e c l a s se s I t was t h i s novel
phenomenon i nspi r ed
by P i t t s
p o l i c i e s at t he end of t he
ei ght eent h
century
and br ought
t o
f r u i t i o n by Peel i n t he 1830 s and 40 s whi ch was r epudi at ed
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R
TORY
by
Di s r a el i
As he t o l d
t he
House of
Commons
a
Conser vat i ve gover nment i s
an
or gani zed hypocr i cy
f or
abandoni ng
i t s commtment t o t he
Gentl emen
of
Engl and
Cer t ai nl y,
Di s r a el i
was
an
anachr oni sm
i n t he
B r i t i s h Conser vat i ve P a r t y a r e l i c of a past t hat
had di ed before
t he c l o s e
of t he
ei ght eent h cent ur y
and
a phenomenon t hat
was not t o be r epeat ed i n t he Con
s er v at i v e
Party
a f t e r
t he
Vi ct or i an age
of
equi poi se
had
c l o s ed but
he
was
an
anachr oni sm t hat has
conf ounded t he
a nal y s t s of
B r i t i s h
conser vat i sm Thus
H
Gr eenl eaf ,
per pl exed
by
t he
cont r adi ct i on bet ween
a Di s r a el i t ype of c o l -
l e c t i v i s t
conser vat i smanda Rober t Ceci l typeof i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c
conser vat i sm( I
have a
f a n a t i c a l b e l i e f i n i ndi vi dual freedom, Ceci l t ol d t he
House of Com
mons i n
1913,
1
bel i eve
i t i s
a
v i t a l
t hi ng
f or
t h i s
count r y,
and
bel i eve
i t i s
t he
cor ner st one upon
whi ch
our
pr osper i t y and exi st ence i s bui l t ) i s
l ed
t o con-
cl ude t hat
a
par t y s uni t y has
t o be f ound el sewher e t han i n i t s doct r i nes
z
4
However ,
al t hough there ar e
s t a t i s t
and m l d l y organi ci st el ement s i n t he
B r i t i s h
Conser vat i ve
P a r t y
si nceLl oyd
Geor ge s
c o l l ec t i v i s t Li beral i sm
n
t he
e a r l y decades
of t h i s
cent ur y,
Conser vat i ves have been consi stent l y
l e s s s t a t i s t
t han ei t her Li beral s or
Labour i t es
The debat e i n
t he
B r i t i s h Conser vat i ve Par t y
has been about t he degree t o
whi ch i ndi vi dual i smshoul d be
cur bed,
not about
whet her i ndi vi dual freedom
and
responsi bi l i t y
ar e
i n pr i nci pl e t o
be
appr oved
And
i n
Canada
t he
Conservat i ves
have
been
at
l eas t
equal l y
l i b e r t a r i a n
si nce
t he
ni net eent h cent ur y
The t h i r d t ype of opposi t i onal s t r a i n agai nst t he Fr ench
Revol ut i onand
t he one t o
have had
t he most
pr of ound
e f f e c t
on t he p o l i t i c s
of t he Engl i sh-
speaki ng
democr aci es
s epi t omzed i n the wr i t i ngs of
EdmundBur ke
and i s
one whi ch was
f r i e n d l y t o
t he ordered
emanci pat i on of
i ndi vi dual i t y
d i v e r s i -
t y of human
c h a r a c t e r
var i et y of human ac t i on
great er i ndi vi dual
economc
r e s p o n s i b i l i t yi f deci dedl y not t o an
aggr essi ve
i ndi vi dual i sm Bur ke
was
revered
by
ni net eent h
cent ur y Li ber al s
who cl ai med him or t h e i r own
25
and
i t
i s a l s o gener al l y accept ed t hat
i n
so
f ar as
conser vat i sm
had
a
p o l i t i c a l
phi l osophy i t
was
der i ved f rom
Bur ke
z 6
Amer i can
Conser vat i ves, such as
Russel l
Ki r k
and
Pet er Vi ereck, z 7 regard hima s
t h e i r
chi ef
ment or ,
and Geor ge
Sabi ne
as se r t s
i n
admt t edl y
l e s s
t han
convi nci ng
manner ,
t hat
t he
c o n s e r -
vat i sm
of
Di s r a el i
i s ]
der i ved substant i al l y f r omBur ke
28
I f
t he Gl adst oni an L i be r a l
Vi scount
Mor l ey s l audat ory
bi ogr aphy of
Burkez9,
wher e t he ei ght eent h
cent ur y
Ango- I r i sh
phi l osopher- pol i t i ci an i s
appl auded
as
a c l a s s i c a l l i b e r a l t hi nker , and J . R
Whi t e s vi ewof
Bur ke
as
t he
phi l osophi cal
f ounder
of
modern
B r i t i s h
Conser vat i sm
3
are
compat i bl e, t hen t he current
casti gat i on
of
many
modern Progr essi ve
Conser vat i ves
as unw t t i ng c l a s s i c a l
l i b e r a l s
i s unf ounded, 3 f or conser vat i sm
and
c l a s s i c a l l i beral i sm
may
be mer el y
d i f f e r e n t
emphases
w t hi n
t he
samegener al doct r i ne
I n f a c t i n hi s An
Appeal f rom
heNewo t he
Od
Whi gs,
Bur ke
i s
qui t e
ex -
p l i c i t on t he
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n
of hi s own phi l osophy
He r egar ded i t as t he
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ROPREECE
phi l osophy of
t he ol d
Whi gs
t he
O dCorps , a s he cal l ed them
t he
phi l osophy of t he
moder at e
Revol ut i onari es of 1688, of those whounder st ood
that
one
r ef ormed
t he
e r r o r s
of
t he
past
w t h
due
def erence
t o
t he
wsdom
of
t he p a s t
of
thosewho
under st ood that
t he
i n i q u i t i e s
of
a monarchydemanded
amendment
not
abol i t i on The
support er
of
t he
Ameri can
Revol ut i on
and ad-
vocate of greater r e s p e c t f or t he
t radi t i ons
of I ndi a andQuebec i n t h e i r
col oni al
gover nment
opposed
t he
French Revol ut i on
because t f a i l e d t o
showdue
def erence
t o
French
h i s t o r y
not because
al l of i t s reformst
i d e a l s
wer e i l l u s o r y
but because
a revol ut i on
whi ch
rej ected i t s
own
hi story
woul d
produce, a s
Burke accurat el y predi ct ed, a rei gn of t e r r o r rather t han an e f f e c t i v e
i n s t i t u -
t i onal i zat i on
of
l i b e r t y
Peopl e w i l l not l ook
f orward
t o poster i ty ,
he
ad-
moni shed,
who
never
l ook
backwar d
t o
t h e i r ancestors
Bur ke
was
adamant l y not opposed
t o
reform
s t a t e
wi t hout
t hemeans
of
some change
wi t hout
t he
means
of i t s conservat i on
Wthout such means
t
mght
even r i s k
t he
l o s s of that par t of
t he Const i t ut i on
whi ch i t
wi shed t hemost r e l i g i o u s l y t o preserve The two
pri nci pl es
of
conservat i on
and
corr ect i on
operat ed
str ongl y
a t
t he
t wo
c r i t i c a l
peri ods of
t he
Rest orat i on and Revol ut i on,
when
Engl and f ound
i t s e l f wi t hout a ki ng
t
both t hose
peri ods
t he nat i on had l o s t t he bond of uni on i n
t h e i r
anci ent
e d i f i c e
they di d n o t however , d i s s o l v e t he whol e f a b r i c
On t he c o n t r a r y
i n
both c a s e s
t hey
regenerat ed t he d e f i -
c i ent part of
t he
ol d
Consti t ut i on t hr ough
t he p a r t s whi ch
wer e not
i mpai r ed They
kept t hese
ol d
parts exact l y a s
t hey were,
that t he part recovered mght be sui t ed t o
them
I ndeed,
Bur ke espoused ref orm
a di sposi t i on t o preserve
and
t he a b i l i t y
t o
i mprove
was hi s c r i t e r i o n of a
good
st at esman
but
he i n s i s t e d that s p i r i t
of
r ef ormat i on
i s
never more consi st ent
w t h
i t s e l f than
when i t r ef used t o be
rendered
t hemeans
of dest ruct i on
4
t woul d be no great exaggerat i on t o
read
Burke s
wri t i ngs a s a
c o r r e c t i v e
commentary on J ohn Locke s Two
T r e a t i s e s
on
C i v i l Gover nment
t hough
they a r e of course, not
onl y
that
Locke s Two
T r e at i s es
ant i ci pated t he
assumpt i ons of
t he
1688 Revol ut i on
whi ch Burke bel i eved t o provi de t he
f oun-
dati on
of B r i t a i n s bal anced
consti t ut i on
Locke
advocat ed l im t e d
monarchy
;
Burke
was
concerned that
further di mnut i ons of
t he monar ch s power s
mght
di sturb t he d e l i c a t e
bal ance
of
t he
consti t ut i on, t hough he
was
qui ck t o de-
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R TORY
nounce George
I I I s e x c e s s e s and t hus descri bed t he
Amer i can
revol ut i on a s a
revol ut i on not
made but prevent ed
Locke
emphasi zed moderat i on
t ol erance
and
reason
;
Bur ke
ref i ned
moderat i on
i nto
a
sophi st i cat ed
t heory
of
caut i ous and
pragmat i c
ref orm not i ng
t hat
every prudent
a c t s f ounded
on compromse and
b a r t e r
3 S ;
he
rei t erat ed t he
precept of
t ol erance but
warned t hat There s
however a
l i m t
a t whi ch f orbearance
c e a s e s
t o be a v i r -
t ue 3 6
;
and he
r a i l e d agai nst t he
a b s t r a c t reason of t he Enl i ght enment whi ch
was der i ved f rom
a
c e r t a i n
i nt emperance of
i n t e l l e c t
[ whi chwas]
t he d i s e a s e
of
t he
t i me and
t he
source of a l l i t s ot her di seases
. 37
I t s w t h
man
i n
t he
con-
c r e t e ;
i t i s w t h commonhuman l i f e and
human act i ons
you
are t o be con-
cerned 3 8
Locke
devel oped acont ract
t heory
of
s o c i e t y
and
Bur ke
el evat ed
i t
t o a hi gher
pl ane
a s
a
c l a us e
i n the great
pr i maeval
cont ract of
e t e r n a l s o ci et y
l i nki ng
t he
l ower w th
t he
hi gher nat ures
connect i ng t he
v i s i b l e
and i n v i s i b l e wor l d accordi ng t o
a f i xed contr act
sanct i oned
b
y t he i n v i s i b l e oat h
whi ch
hol ds
a l l physi cal
and a l l
mor al
nat ures each i n
t h e i r
appoi nt ed
pl ace
Thi s
l aw
i s
not
subj ect t o
t he
wi l l of
t h o s e who
by an
obl i gat i on
above t hem and
i n f i n i t e l y
s u pe r i o r are bound t o
submt
t h e i r wi l l tothat l aw
3
9
Locke espoused t he pri nci pl e of i ndi vi dual
r i g h t s
;
Bur ke
conf i rmed t h e i r
i m
por t ance but
demanded
t hat r e a l rat her
t han i magi nary concret e rat her t han
f ormal and
a b s t r a c t gr i evances
be
r emedi ed
t o ensure those r i g h t s Wse
men he exhort ed w l l
appl y
t h e i r
remedi es t o
v i c e s not t o
names
Locke
and Bur ke
concur red
on t he
i mpor t ance of pri vat e proper t y
and
Locke
ad-
vocat ed great er
i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c economc
f r eedom
whi l e
Bur ke
acknow edged
hi s
i ndebt edness
t o t he
l a i s s e z
f a i r e t heor i es of
Adam
Smth
For Locke
rebel l i on
was
j u s t i f i e d but onl y a f t e r a l ong t r a i n
of
abuses
not every l i t t l e
msmangement 4 whi l e f or
Burke
t yranny shoul d be
opposed
but
Govern-
ments must be
abused
and
der anged
i ndeed
bef ore revol ut i on can
be
t hought o f and t he prospect of t he f ut ure
must
be
a s bad a s
t he
exper i ence of
t he past
41
For
Locke
l i b e r t y
i s
t o be f r e e from e s t r a i n t and vi ol ence from t h e r s
whi ch
cannot be
wher e there
i s
not l aw but
f r eedom
s
not as
we
are t o l d
a
l i b e r t y
f o r every man t o do
what
he
1 3
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ROPREE E
l i s t s f o r who coul d
be
f r e e when ever y ot her man s
humour
mght
domneer
over
hi m?
but
a
l i b e r t y
t o
di spose
and
order
as
he
l i s t s
hi s
person,
a ct i o ns possessi ons
andhi s whol e
property, w t h i n t he
al l owance
of t hose l aws
under
whi ch
he
s
and
t her ei n not t o be subj ect t o t he
ar
b i t r a r y
wi l l of
another ,
but
f r e e l y
f o l l ow hi s
own
42
For Bur ke, on t he other hand, l i b e r t y
i s
secur ed
not
onl y
by
l aw but
by
order
and
t r a d i t i o n
by
Prescri pt i on
and
Pr ovi dence
As
Franci s Canavan has
e x
pressed
i t
Bur ke
concei ved
of
men s r i g h t s and l i b e r t i e s as conr ete
p a r t s
of an act ual s o ci a l
order
on
whi ch t h e i r
exi st ence
depended
Ri ght s
haveme ni ngand
e f f e c t
onl y
when they
e x i s t i n a s o c i e t y structured
by
r ank
and
property, ordered
by l a w
and
suppor t ed by
l ong- st andi ng
sent i ment s and
pr ej udi ces
I n
Burke s
s o ci a l
phi l osophy,
therefore,
t he
i dea
of
order
i s
pr i mar y
4
3
Bur ke provi des, i ndeed, a heal t hy measur e of
conser vat i ve
r e s t r a i n t on t he
Lockean
hi g
i d e a l s
of
i ndi vi dual l i b e r t y i ndi vi dual r i g h t s t he
power of
hum n r eason, and even t o a degree on i ndi vi dual i t y i t s e l f
Bur kean
Conser -
vat i smr e s t r i c t s l i b e r t y by order ( manl y,
mor al ,
r egul at ed l i bert y ,
Bur ke
c a l l s
i t r i g h t s
by
dut i es, i ndi vi dual
r eason
by
t he wsdomof
a g e s and
i ndi vi dual i t y
by
communi ty I t
espouses t he st erner
v i r t ue s
of
s e l f r e s t r a i n t const ancy,
gr av i t y
magnani m t y, f or t i t ude, f i d e l i t y
and
f i rmness
[ whi ch
ar e
c l o s e l y
a l l i e d
t o [ t h e ] di sagreeabl e
qual i t y [ o f ]
obst i nacy
44
These vi r t ues whi ch
r e s t r a i n t he appet i t e
Bur ke c o n t r a s t s w t h
t he
val ues of
t he
phi l osophers of t he
Enl i ght enment
who
subst i t ut e a vi r tue
whi ch
they c a l l
humani t y
or
benevol ence
But
t h i s means
t h e i r
mor al i t y has no i dea i n
i t
of
r e s t r a i n t
or
i ndeed of
a
di s t i nc t s e t t l e d
pri nci pl e
of
any
ki nd
45
I n t he f i na l ana l y s i s Bur kean
conser vat i sm
s concer ned w t h t he
bal ance
ong
compet i ng
but obj ect i ve goods46
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R
TORY
We
see t hat t he parts of t he sys temdo not c l ash The e v i l s
l a t e nt i n t he mos t
pr om s i ng cont r i vances ar e provi ded
f o r
as
they
a r i s e
One
advant age
i s
as
l i t t l e
as
possi bl e
s a c r i
f i ced t o
anot her
We compensat e,
we r e c o n c i l e we
bal ance
We
ar e
enabl ed
t o uni t e i nt o a consi st ent whol e
t he
var i ous anomal i es
and
cont endi ng
pr i nc i pl es
t hat ar e
f ound
i n
t he
m nds
and a f f a i r s of mn
Fromhence
a r i s e s
not
an excel l ence
i n
s i mpl i c i t y but
one f ar s upe r i o r an e x
cel l ence i n composi t i on 7
I n
Bur ke s
vari ous
wor ks
t he
not i on
of
a corpora te- organi c - col l ect i vi s t
phi l osophy
i s deci dedl y
absent
Unl i ke t he
r omant i cs
who denounced a
phi l osophy
of i ndi vi dual
r i ght s
and
l i b e r t i e s Bur ke onl y di m ni shed themo
mke them
more
e f f e c t i v e l y
r eal i z ed
Unl i ke
t he r omant i cs who . abhor r ed t he
f r e e
mar ket economy, Bur ke
wel comed
i t but
not ed that
Mere par s i mony
i s
not economy
Expense
and gr eat
expense,
my
be e s s e nt i a l part of t rue
econom 8 Unl i ke t he r omant i cs who espoused
t he strongest possi bl e s t a t e
Bur ke a s s e r t e d that whi l e
abst r act edl y
speaki ng, gover nment
i s good
49
and
whi l e gover nment
i s natural and
t he s t a t e
i s a di vi nel y or dai ned
mor al
e s s e n c e nonet hel ess Whatever each
mn
can
separ at el y
do, w t hout t r e s p a s s
i ngupono t h e r s he has a
r i ght
t o do f o r hi mel f
5
I f Locke i s as i s
commnly
as sumed, t he st i mul us f or a
moder at e
l i b e r a l
Whi ggi sm
Bur ke
i s
t he
phi l osopher
of a
moder at e
conservat i ve
Whi ggi sm
I n
I t i s
undeni abl y
t r ue t hat
i n
gener al
Progr essi ve
Conser vat i ves
t oday
espouse
f r e e ent er pr i se
pr i nc i pl es
s i g n i f i c a n t l y
mre e nt h us i as t i c a l l y
than do
Li ber al s
I ndeed,
any c a s u a l
v i s i t t o a Progress i ve Conser vat i ve r i di ng
associ at i on
meet i ng
shoul d convi nce t he
v i s i t o r
that i t i s
t h e i r
espousal of i ndi vi dual
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
s t e r n e r v i r t u e s
and
f r e e ent er pr i se whi ch t he mmers
bel i eve di s t i ngui shes
them r om t h e i r
p o l i t i c a l
adver sar i es
And
G
W
Bal dw n, Al ber t a Progr essi ve
Conser vat i veMP cl ai ms that
t he
e s s e nt i a l
di f f er ence
bet ween Conser vat i ves
and others i s t hat t he Conser vat i ves ar e mre i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c
5
whi l e
what
behavi our al i st
r esear ch has
been
done on
party a t t i t u de s bears
out
t h i s concl u-
Si on
z
I f e a r l y Conser vat i ve
phi l osophy
was i n som measur e
and
mnner
cor por at e- or gani c -col l ect i vi s t then
we
ar e forced t o
t he conc l us i on
that
mdern Conser vat i ves deny
t h e i r
own
her i t age ; they
must be seen t o be
r epudi at i ng t hei r own h i s t o r y Chr i s t i an
and
C Campbel l a s s e r t that
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ROPREE E
t ory i sm
s one
i mpor t ant strand of
Canadi an
Conser vat i sm and
s t he
most
i mpor t ant el ement
whi ch di st i ngui shes
t
fromLi ber al i sm
To
t he
L i be r a l bel i ef
i n
i ndi vi dual i sm
and
f r eedom
t he
Conser vat i ve
adds
a bel i ef i n col l ect i vi sm
and pr i vi l ege
5
But
s ur e l y ,
what ever
t he supposed f oundi ng
phi l osophi es of
t he
p a r t i e s ,
t
i s
t he
Li ber al
who
i s l e s s
i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c , who
morewl l in g l yp r o f -
f e r s c o l l e c t i v i s t sol ut i ons to s o c i al pr obl ems, at l eas t
i f
we
are t o bel i eve ever yday
j our nal i sm
and
t he
concl usi ons of
empi r i cal r esear ch
whi ch soot he t he p r e -
j udi ces
of
our commonsense
obser vat i ons
I f
Chr i st i an
and
Campbel l s
vi ew i s
c o r r e c t we
are const r ai ned t o accept
t he
i mpr obabl e t h e s i s
not
onl y t hat
both
p a r t i e s have
r enounced t h e i r
own past
but
t hat each has
t aken
as i t s
own
t he
pos i t i on f ormer l y
hel d by
t he ot her
Common
sense t e l l s us
t hat
t he
Li ber al s
a r e ,
i n f a c t ,
t he h e i r s
t o
t he moder at e
u t i l i t a r i a n
l i beral i sm
of J ohn Stuart M l l w t h i t s s o c i a l democr at i c over t ones, t o
t he al l egedl y c ol l ec t i v i s t
l i b e r a l
i deas br ought t o
e a r l y
f r u i t i o n by Davi d
L l oyd Geor ge i n B r i t a i n
and
ai r ed
i nCanada by
Mackenzi e
Ki ngi n h i s I ndust r y
andHumani ty
and
i f those
i deas
r emai ned unr eal i zed
f or someti me
i nCanada
i t i s
i n par t
because Mackenzi e
Ki ngappear ed t o bel i eve that t he
humani t ar i an
expr ess i on
of an i dea al r eady ent ai l ed i t s i mpl ement at i on
but
t hat i s
al t oget her
anot her
s t o r y
Canadi an
Conservat i ves,
on t he ot her
hand, ar e
and
have
cont i nuousl y
been
t he
l egi t i mat e
h e i r s
t o J ohn
Locke,
t o
t he
Whi gs ,
and t o what
we somet i mes per haps
m sl eadi ngl y c a l l
c l a s s i c a l
l i ber a l i s m,
by
t he
way of Bur kean
r e s t r a i n t s
on
t he new
Whi ggi sm
ndi f
there i s l i t t l e
v a l i d i t y i n that t h e s i s t hen t he cl ai ms of t he many
renownedCon
s er v a t i v es who
have
c r i t i c i z e d t he party at var i ous t i mes f o r not l i v i n g up t o t s
l a i s s e z - f a i r e t radi t i ons
Lord
At hol st on,
S i r
W l l i a mMackenzi e, Ri char d Ben-
net t and
Arthur
Mei ghen
amongs t
them
are
not
onl y
exagger at i onswhi ch
t hey undoubt edl y are but t hey must
i ndi cat e a l s o t hat such Conser vat i ves
had
a surpr i s i ngl y er r oneous vi ew not
onl y of t hei r own p a r t y s r ecent h i s t o r y
but
of
t he
very
p o l i t i c a l
wor l d
t hey
i nhabi t ed
What evi dence,
t hen,
do
Hor ow t z
and
Chr i st i an
and Campbel l
o f f e r f or
t h e i r
bel i ef i n t he
s i g n i f i c a n t
c o l l e c t i v i s t el ement i n
Canadi an
Conser vat i sm?
Hor ow t z
t e l l s us t hat
f i gur es such as R B
Bennet t , Arthur
Mei ghen,
and
Geor ge
Drewcannot be under s t ood s i mpl y as
Canadi an
ver si ons of W l l i am
McKi nl ey, Her ber t Hoover and Rober t Taf t
The
Canadi an
Conser vat i ves
l ack
t he Amer i can
aura of
r ugged
i ndi vi dual i sm
Thei r s
s not t he
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y Amer i can conser vat i sm
whi ch conser ves
onl y
l i b e r a l
val ues
55
Yet
Arthur
Mei ghen a s s e r t e d : I aman
i ndi vi dual i s t and he denounced t he
i ncr easi ng st at i sm
of
Canada
Ther e
has spr ead
through
t he
wor l d i n r ecent
t i mes
a
cr eed
t hat
Governments must be t he d i r e c t o r and protector
of
1
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R
TORY
everybody,
and
i n some
way
br i ng
about
equal i zat i on by
dest r oyi ng
s e l f - r e l i a n c e and
s e l f - r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
c h a r i t y
does
not
mean
pr ot ect i on
through
l i f e s
st orms
I t
does
not
mean s he l t e r
f r om
t he
b a t t l e
and a
w ther i ng
of
t he
wr es-
t l i n g t hews I t does not even meanbenef act i on, or
bounty,
or
pat er nal i sm
and anyway, benef act i on,
or bounty, or
pat er nal i sm ar e
har dl y
ever of
val ue
Pat er nal i sm
can
pr oduce onl y gr eenhouse p l a nt s , and a greenhouse gener a-
t i on w i l l
s u r e l y
go down i n t he
b a t t l e
of the str ong
s s
For Mei ghen,
man s
appr opr i at e
desti ny
l ay
i n
s el f - r e l i a nc e
and
s e l f -
respons i bi l i ty
; t he
modern
c o n f l i c t was bet ween t he Sate
on
t he
one hand
and
t he
f r e e man
ont he ot her
From
Bennett s
correspondence
we
read
The
d i f f i c u l t y
i s that
t oomuch
r e l i a n c e i s
bei ng pl aced
upon t he
Government
The peopl e are not bear i ng
t h e i r
share of t he l oad Hal f a century ago peopl e
woul d work
t h e i r
way
out
of
t h e i r d i f f i c u l t i e s
rather than l ook t o a
gover nment
t o take c a r e of
them
The
f i b r e
of
some
of
our
peopl e has grown s o f t e r and they
are
not
w l l i ng t o turn i n
and
save t hemsel ves
They
now
compl ai n
because
they
have
no
money
Wen
they
wer e
ear ni ng
money
many of
them
spent
i t
i n
specul at i on and
i n l uxur y
Luxur y means
anyt hi ng a
man has not
an
i mmedi at e need
f o r ,
havi ng
regard
t o hi s f i n anc i a l posi t i on
do
not
know
what
t he
present
movement
may
be,
but
unl ess i t i nduces men and women t o
t hi nk
i n
t erms
of
honest t o i l rather t han i n
t erms
of
bewi l der ment because
of condi t i ons whi ch they
hel ped
t o c r e a t e , t he end
of
organi zed s oc i e t y
not
f a r
di stant
AndGeor ge Drewannounced that
conomc
f r eedom
i s t he essence
of compet i t i ve
e nt e r pr i s e ,
and
compet i t i ve enterpr i se
t he f oundat i on of our
democr at i c system
Webel i eve i n t he
w dest
possi bl e
measur e
of
personal l i b e r t y
consi st ent wi th l a w,
order
and
t he
general wel f ar e
8
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RO
PREE E
I f
a l l t hr ee ar e
not r ugged i n d i v i d u a l i s t s
i n
t he
Amer i can
manner they
come
per i l ous l y c l o s e t o
t
Hor ow t z not es t hat Mortonexhorts
Canadi an
Conser vat i ves t o
embr ace
t he
wel f are
s t a t e on
t he gr ound
that
` l a i s s e z - f a i r e
and
r ugged i ndi vi dual i sm
ar e
f or ei gn t o conser vat i ve p r i n c i p l e s 59 And i ndeed, a good case
can
be
made
t hat t hey ar e
On
conser vat i ve pr i nci pl es l a i s sez - f a i r e must be subor di nat ed
t o t he nat i onal
i n t e r e s t ,
t o
the pr i nci pl es of
or der
But t h i s means onl y that f r e e
ent er pr i se
s
i n pr i nci pl e t o
be
appr oved but
r e s t r i c t e d
when necessary
As
t he
conser vat i ve
devot ee
of
l a i s s e z - f a i r e ,
M chael
Oakeshot t , has
poi nt ed out , t he
doct r i ne i s f r equent l y conf used w t h
t hat i magi nar y
condi t i on
of
whol l y
unfettered
compet i t i on ,
and
t s
per f ect l y
compat i bl e w t h
t he
doct r i ne
t o
bel i eve that under t aki ngs i n
whi ch compet i t i on
cannot
be
made
t o
wor k
as
t he agency
of cont r ol must be t ransferred
t o
publ i c
oper at i on
6
Cer t ai nl y,
when t he
Conser vat i ves f i r s t espoused some of t he pr i nci pl es of
t he
wel f are
s t a t e
at t he
unof f i ci al
Port
Hope convent i on of 1942 they t hought themqui t e c ons i s -
tent
w t h
t he adopt ed r esol ut i on t hat
Conser vat i ves shoul d
st r ongl y advocat e t he st r engt heni ng of
t he
bas i c
Canadi an
t r a d i t i o n
of
i ndi vi dual
i n i t i a t i v e
and
i ndi vi dual
ent er pr i se
and oppor t uni t y and t he
f r eei ng of
economc
a c t i v i t i e s
frombur eaucr at i c
c o n t r o l s
6
Nor
wer e
they i nconsi st ent
f or e f f e c t i v e
i ndi vi dual
i n i t i a t i v e
and ent er pr i se
may
be
seen t o be
dependent
on
a
mnimal equal i t y
wher eby none s
depr i ved
ab
i n i t i o
of
t he oppor t uni t y t o s t r i v e
e f f e c t i v e l y
Hor ow t z
asks
Can one
concei ve of
a
r espect ed phi l osopher
of
Republ i cani sm denounci ng
r ugged
i ndi vi dual i sm
as
f or ei gn
t o t r adi t i onal
Republ i can
pr i nci pl es?
62
I ndeed one
can
at
l eas t
i f
Republ i cani sm s
equat ed
w t h
Ameri can
conser vat i sm ndt he
more r eput abl e t he more l i k e l y Russel l
Ki r k, Cl i nt on Ro ss i t e r ,
Har r y J a f f a and
Peter Vi er eck i mmedi at el y come t o
my
mnd To
take
but one
i nst ance at r andom i n hi s
Conser vat i sm
Revi s i t ed
Vi er eck
denounces t he
e x c e s s e s
of
Barry
Gol dwat er s
Od
Guard
Republ i cani sm as i ni mcal t o
t he
pr i nci pl es
of Ameri canConser vat i sm
63 The
di f f er ence bet ween t he
Amer i can
and t he
Canadi an
Conser vat i ve i s
that t he l a t -
t er
has
more
e a s i l y
accept ed
t he
Bur kean
r e s t r i c t i o n s
on
r a di c al
Whi ggi sm
and
at l eas t
some
Amer i can
phi l osophi cal conser vat i ves
st r ongl y r egr et
Republ i can
e x c e s s e s
Whi l e i t i s c e r t a i n l y t r ue t hat
Amer i can
conser vat i ves ar e
more
i n-
cl i ned
t o aggr ess i ve
i ndi vi dual i sm
than
t h e i r
Canadi an
counterparts,
t he
d i f -
f erence
i s
one of degr ee not of ki nd, al t hough
t hat di f f er ence makes f o r a
s i g n i f i c a n t l y
d i f f e r e n t p o l i t i c a l p r a c t i c e
I t
s
no unf at homabl e par adox that t he
8
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R
TORY
best - known cont emporary
Amer i can
phi l osopher
of
conservat i sm Russel l Ki rk,
i s a
Bur ke
s c ho l a r
an
exponent
of
t he
pr i nci pl es
of reverence,
prudence
and
prescr i pt i on,
who
f requent l y
scol ds
t he
best - known
contempor ary
B r i t i s h
con-
s e r v a t i v e phi l osopher , M chael Oakeshot t , f o r bei ng t oo deepl y i mbued w th
Thomas Hobbes and
l a i s s e z - f a i r e
Nor i s i t
poor
hi stor i ography when K i r k
de s cr i be s t he
conservat i sm
of J ohn
Adams
J ohn
Randol ph,
J ohn Qui ncy
Adams and Orestes Brownson to menti on a
f ew
as
conservat i sm
i n
moreor l e s s t he
Bur kean manner
I n
t r u t h Hor owi t z
has
chosen poor
exampl es of hi s un- Amer i can
Canadi an
Conservat i ves
He
woul dhave been
bet ter served byMacdonal d and Bor den
Nonethel ess,
even
t h e r e t he
conservat i ve
v i r t u e s
of
prudence, o r d e r
moder a-
t ion
and
bal ance may
be
seen as i nf r i ngement s
on
i ndi vi dual i sm not as essen -
t i a l l y
i ni mcal t o i t
Wen
Hor ow t z does
turn
hi s
at tent i on t o
Macdonal d he
demonst r ates the
i mmedi at e speci ousness
of
hi s
t h e s i s
He a s s e r t s
t hat
Si r
J ohn
A
Macdonal d s appr oach to t he emer gent worki ng c l a s s was i n
some
r e s p e c t s sim l ar t o Di srael i s
64
I n
f a c t
Macdonal d
bel i eved i n a r e s t r i c t e d
mddl e- cl ass f ranchi se,
t hough he was
f orced t o
concede al most manhood s u f -
f rage i n
1885,
andt he l e g i s l a t i o n he
i nt roduced i n
1872 to protect trade uni ons
was
an al most
verbat i mreproduct i on
of
Gl adst one s
1871 Trade
Uni onAct
i n
t he
Uni t ed
Ki ngdom
And
t he
Gl adst one
who
so
adm r ed
Bur ke
he
be-
l i eved
Bur ke was r i g h t
on a l l t he
maj or
i s s ue s of hi s t i me save the
French
Revol uti on
was t he phi l osophi cal as
wel l as
t he p o l i t i c a l
opponent of
Di s r a el i I f
Macdonal d s appr oach
was i n
some
r es pec t s s i m l a r
to
Di srael i s ,
i t
was
f ar
more
si m l ar i n approach
t o
others
s
an
exampl e
of
t he
tory touch i n Engl i shCanadaHorowi t z notes
t he f a r greater
w l l i ngness
of Engl i sh- Canadi an p o l i t i c a l
and
busi ness
e l i t e s
to use the power of the s t a t e f or t he
pur pose of devel opi ng and control l i ng the economy Thi s
w l l i ngness
s e s p e c i a l l y not abl e
i n t he h i s t o r y of Canada s
Conservati ve p a r t y
and i s one of
t he pr i mary
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s di f f erenti at i ng
Canadi an conser vat i sm
( t ouched w t h toryi sm
f rompurel y
i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c
purel y
l i b e r a l Amer i can conser vat i sm
s
George
Gr ant
puts
t
conservat i sm uses publ i c
power
t o
achi eve
nat i onal
pur-
poses
The
Conservati ve
party
a f t e r a l l created On
t a r i o
Hydro,
the
CNR
t he
Bank
of
Canada and
the
CBC
bs
We
have,
however ,
al ready seen
t hat
l a i s s e z - f a i r e
t h e o r i s t s
accept t he d e s i r a b i l i -
t y of
publ i c ownershi p
i n
c e r t a i n ci r cumst ances
I n
t he c a s e
of
Ont ar i o
Hydro
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ROD
PREE E
publ i c owner shi p was
undert aken
to
evade Ameri can
ownershi p
of
our
natural
resources
whi ch may
have
proved beyond
t he resources of Canadi an
pri vate
c api t a l
to
devel op
I n
t he
case of
t he
NR
nat i onal i zat i on
was
necessary to pre-
vent
a
CPR
mnopol y
The
choi ce,
as
Borden
put t was bet ween
a
r a i l way -
owned
gover nment
and
a government - owned rai l way , t hough,
i t must be
conceded,
Borden was mre
f avourabl y
di sposed
to publ i c owner shi p i n p r i n c i -
pl e than previ ous
or
l a t e r
f ederal
Conservat i ve
l eaders
I n t he
c a s e of t he
ank
of
Canada t he gover nment was merel y r epeat i ng what
the
supposedl y
s o l e l y
l i b e r a l
and
i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c
Amer i cans
had done i n 1912
w t h
t he
Federal
Reserve
System
nd
i n t he
c a s e of
the C C t he Conservat i ve
gover nment
watered down t he c o l l ec t i v i s t recommendati on of
the
Li beral - sponsored
Ai rd
Commssi on
and
permtted
pr i vate
commer ci al r adi o s t a t i o n s
to
broadcast
al ongsi de t heC Cwhi ch,
i n
t u r n soon i ncl uded adver t i sement s
i n
i t s own
pro-
grammes
I t shoul d be p e r f e c t l y
c l e ar that t he occasi onal use
of
t he s t a t e
by
the
Conservat i ves shoul d
gi ve
us no reason
t o bel i eve t hat
they had
a
`
`corporate- organi c-
c o l l e c t i v i s t
i deol ogy,
or
any r emnant s of one
Chri sti an
and Campbel l u se
as many have bef ore,
Macdonal d s
Nat i onal
Pol i cy
as an
exampl e
of
t he c o l l e c t i v i s t aspect
of Macdonal d s
Conservat i ve
i deol ogy
whi ch, they
cl ai m
was
a
s k i l f u l
bl end of
tory i sm
and l i beral i sm
. 67
However ,
asJ ohn
Wei r
has
poi nt ed
out
Whi l e
Si r J ohn
Macdonal d
s
best remembered
as
t he
ar c h i t e ct of Canada s Nati onal P o l i c y t i s not often em
phasi zed
that
bef ore
i t s
adopt i on
Macdonal d
was
an
ad-
vocate
of
reci proci ty
w t h
the Uni t ed S t a t e s When t he
Washi ngton
Treaty
was si gned
i n 1871
bet ween t he
Uni t ed S t a t e s and Great
B r i t a i n Macdonal d att ended
t o
argue
f or
a
restorat i on
of
t he
reci procal
trade
ar r angements
whi ch
had
e x i s t e d bet ween
Canadaand
t he Uni t ed S t a t e s
i n
t he
per i od
1854- 1866
Cl e ar l y
on
t he face
of
t there
s
a
cont radi cti on bet ween
t he
Macdonal d of
1871 and
t he
Macdonal d of
t he Nat i onal
Pol i cy of
1876,
and a l s o
of
t he
Macdonal d
of 1849
who procl ai med
the pr i nci pl es
of t he
B r i t i s h North
Amer i can League as
Protecti on t o
nat i ve
i ndustr y and home
manuf act urers
connect i on
w t h
Great
Bri tai n
Reci proci t y w t h t he
Uni t ed
States
i n agr i c ul t u r a l
products
and
Repeal
of
t he
Muni ci pal
and
Tar i f f
monst rosi t i es
of
l a s t s e s s i o n
9
20
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R
TORY
Even
a f t e r t he
Nat i onal P o l i c y
had
been
deci ded upon and
announced by
r esol ut i on
i n
t he
House of Commns on March 10 1876
as
t he
p a r t y s
p o l i c y
Macdonal d
made
t
p e r f e c t l y
c l ear
that
t he
newpol i cy
was
expedi ence
not
pr i n-
c i p l e
As Macdonal d t ol d a
p i c n i c gat heri ng
of some t went y
t housand
i n Lon-
don i n
j une,
1877
The
quest i on
of
t he day s
that of
t he
pr ot ect i on of
our
f ar mer s f r om
t he
unf ai r compet i t i on of f or ei gn
pr oduce,
and
t he
pr ot ect i on of
our manuf act ur er s
amn
f avour
of
r eci pr ocal
f r e e
trade
i f i t
can
be
obt ai ned, but s o
l ong
as
t he
pol i cy of
t he
Uni t ed
States
c l o s es
t he
mar ket s
t o
our
pr oduct s we shoul d
have a pol i cy of
our own
as
wel l and
consul t
onl y
our own
i n t e r e s t s
7
Agai n, there
s not hi ng
i n
t he
Nat i onal P o l i c y
r emot el y
t o suggest
a
c o l l e c t i v i s t
or i ent at i on
I V
The
Conser vat i ve
Party
i n Canada
s i t woul d
appear , pr edom nant l y a
Whi gparty
and
s c ar c e l y
at
a l l a T o r y party
None of t he
evi dence
offered f o r a
c o l l e c t i v i s t
i nt er pr et at i on seems
t o
support
t he c a s e
What
t hen,
s t he
Red
Tor y? I n
Hor ow t z t erms
there woul d appear t o benone
at
l eas t nonewho
ar e pol i t i c al l y
a c t i v e
Geor ge
Gr ant ,
Gad Hor ow t z apogee
of
t he
Red
T o r y
has denounced
t he par t y
as
i ni m cal
t o what
he
vi ews as
conser vat i ve i d e a l s
Eugene For sey,
seei ng
P i e r r e
Trudeau
as t he
savi our of
Canada, has
become a
L i be r a l
Senat or
whi ch
at
l eas t
hi nt s
t he
l i e
t o
t he
Hor ow t z
t h e s i s
of
t he
s o c i a l i s t
Red
Tor y
as
one whop r e f e r s t he
Conser vat i ves t o t he Li ber al s .
Hor ow t z
f i r s t choi ce
f a i l e d
t he f i r s t
t e s t
nd
L
Mor t on s bel i e f i n great er
i ndi vi dual r e s p o n s i b i l i t y pl aces him
quar el y
i n t heWhi gcamp
Yet s u r e l y t he medi a and t he
publ i c
have some c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
i n
mnd
when
they
empl oy t he t e rm
and they
c e r t a i n l y appear
t o f i n d p o l i t i c i a n s
t o
whom
they
can
e f f e c t i v e l y
appl y
t he l a be l
I n
f a c t t h e r e
appear
t o
be
t hr ee t ypes
who
f i t i n t o t he gener al
c l a s s i f i c a t i o n
The f i r s t
s qui t e
si mpl y, t he i ndi vi dual
who
f i nds
hi msel f
i n t he
Conser vat i ve Par ty out
of
f a m l i a l r egi onal or op-
port uni st i c
chance andwhowoul d be
e qua l l y
or
per haps mor e,
at
home i n t h e
Li beral
Party
Davi d MacDonal d f r omPri nce
Edward
I s l and
woul d
be an exam
pl e
The second cat egory
woul d
be those
who bel i eve t hat t he f i r s t dut y of
gover nment
s
t o support t he
i n t e r e s t s of t he smal l bus i nessman and of
t he
f armer , of
t he aver age
Canadi an ,
not
mer el y t o protect him
but
t o
ensure
2
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RO
PREE E
that
t he
smal l man
i n a posi t i on
t o makehi s i ndi vi dual i n i t i a t i v e and
respon-
s i b i l i t y
e f f e c t i v e
The
most obvi ous exampl e
woul d
beJ ohn
Di ef enbaker
The t hi rd cat egory ,
and
f r om
a
phi l osophi cal
and
h i s t o r i c a l
st andpoi nt
t he
most
i n t e r e s t i ng
i s
exempl i f i ed
by
Rober t
St anf i el d
I n
St anf i el d s
wr i t i n gs
a l t hough he
c r i t i c a l
of
Bur ke s
at t i t ude
t o t he
French
Revol ut i on,
he adopt s
nonet hel ess
an
e x p l i c i t l y
Bur kean
stance t owar ds t he
e x c e s s e s of hi s r a di c a l
Whi g
col l eagues
Hi s
1974 paper
t o t he
Progr essi ve
Conser vat i ve
caucus,
en-
t i t l e d
Some
Commnts
on
Conser vat i ve Pr i nc i pl es
and
Phi l osophy ,
a
s i mpl i f i ed equi val ence
of
Bur ke s
ppeal
from
t he New
t o t he
Od
Wigs
(Burke
was,
of
course,
an
OdWhi g
and
t he conf us i on
i n
t he t i t l e
i s
because
Bur ke wr ot e
t
anonymousl y
and
i n
t he t h i r d
person t o di sgui se
qui t e i n e f -
f e c t i v e l y
i t s
source)
Si nce t he 1920 s many
Conservat i ves have
becom devot ees
of
an
unrest r i ct ed
capi ta l i sm
of t he weak
s t a t e
of t o t a l compet i t i on
amng
i n -
di vi dual s
Al t hough
one
must not press t he
anal ogy
t oo f a r t hey a r e t he
new
Whi gs
of t he
l a t e ei ght eent h century
i n Br i t ai n
;
t hey l ack
pr udence, a sense of
compr om se,
not i on
of order
they
a r e
t he
c l a s s i c al
l i b e r a l s who have
al ways had
a s i gni f i cant
pl ace i n
t he Conservat i ve
P a r t i e s i n
t he Uni t ed
Ki ngdomand i n
Canadas i n c e t h e i r f oundi ngs
i n
t he ni net eent h century
To def i neWiggi sm
s
not
easy
i t
has
el uded
t he
e f f o r t s
of many
compet ent
mnds
But one
can
at
l ea s t
say t hat
t he
Wigs wer e
l o ya l monar chi st s who
nonet hel ess
denounced
al l f or ms
of
absol ut i sm they wer e l i nked
w t h
t he
com
merci al ent r epreneur s
of
t he day
and
wel comdEngl and s emer gence
as
a
m d-
dl e c l a s s
and
c a p i t a l i s t
nat i on
t hey espoused
f reedom
under l aw
and
a heal t hy
measur e
of
r e l i g i o u s
t o l e r a t i o n w t hout accept i ng equal i t y
of
r e l i g i o n
;
they
bel i eved i n
sterner v i r t u e s l i b e r t y and l ow
t axat i on
and
t hey
r ej ected
democ r acy
I n
Bur ke s day, however ,
somWigs
seemed
capt i vated by t he
l i b e r t y
e g a l i t e
f r at erni te
of t he
Revol ut i on,
they wer e
l osi ng t hei r sense of
moder at i on
and
bal ance
and i t
was
t o
t h i s
that
Bur ke
offered
hi s corr ect i ons
Al though
St anf i el d
t hi nks
h i s pos i t i on i s
aki n
t o t hat of
Geor ge Gr ant ,
i t i s
i n
f a c t
mre c l o s e l y anal agous
t o t hat of
t he ol d
Wigs
Many
present
Conser -
v at i v es i ndeed espouse
an
unr est r ai ned ver si on
of
t he
Whi g
val ues
of
t he e i gh t -
eent h century
and,
f or St anf i el d,
t hese excesses must be
r e s t r i c t e d
bya
concern
w t h order,
as exempl i f i ed
by
t radi t i onal
B r i t i s h Conservat i ves
B r i t i s h
Conser vat i ve
t hi nker s t r a d i t i o n a l l y s t r e s s e d t he i m
portance
of order, not merel y
l awand
order , but
s o ci a l
order Thi s
does
not man that
they wer e
opposed
t o
f reedom
f or
t he i ndi vi dual
f a r
f r om
i t
Theybel i eved that
a
decent c i v i l i z e d l i f e requi res a
f r amewor k
of
order
8/10/2019 VOL01NO2_2
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R TORY
Conser vat i ves di d not
take that ki nd of
order
f or
gr ant ed
t seemed t o themqui t e r a r e i n t he wor l d and therefore
qui t e
pr eci ous
Thi s s
s t
t he
c a s e
Conser vat i ves
attached
i mpor t ance t o t he economy
and
t o ent er pr i se and t o pr o-
p e r t y but p r i v a t e
ent er pr i se
was not t he c e n t r a l
pr i nci pl e
of
t r adi t i onal
B r i
