So, what does it mean to be conservative anyway?

As we go forward with the debate between who should be the next governor and who should have control of the House of Delegates, I thought it might be constructive to look at the words of Edmund Burke, arguably the savior of conservatism in the late 18th century, as Europe was embroiled in revolutionary fervor.

Burke, in all his volumes of writing political philosophy, can perhaps be best remembered for this prescient paragraph in his work Reflections:

If civil society be made for the advantage of man, all the advantages for which it is made become his right. It is an institution of beneficence; and law itself is on beneficence acting by rule. Men have a right to live by that rule; they have a right to do justice, as between their fellows, whether their fellows are in public function or in ordinary occupation. They have a right to the fruits of their industry, and to the means of making their industry fruitful. They have a right to the acquisitions of their parents; to the nourishment and improvement of their offspring; to instruction in life, and to consolation in death. Whatever each man can separately do, without trespassing upon others, he has a right to do for himself; and he has a right to all which society, with all its combinations of skill and force, can do in his favour. In this partnership all men have equal rights; but not to equal things. (Source: The Conservative Mind)

If you want to understand what it means to be a conservative, study and understand this paragraph, because it might just tell you all you need to know.

“If civil society be made for the advantage of man, all the advantages for which it is made become his right.”

In other words:

If we institute governments to regulate trade and commerce, provide for common security, etc., each individual among the governed is granted equal treatment under the law.

“It is an institution of beneficence; and law itself is on beneficence acting by rule.”

In other words:

The law only exists because God allows it to exist; and an imperfect mankind seeks to ensure that the basic laws granted to it by God are extended to all under its convention.

“Men have a right to live by that rule; they have a right to do justice, as between their fellows, whether their fellows are in public function or in ordinary occupation.”

In other words:

The law is the law – and it applies to those who govern as much as it is to your neighbor. But we all jointly live under it – equally protected and regulated by it.

“They have a right to the fruits of their industry, and to the means of making their industry fruitful.”

In other words:

Those who believe our rights are granted to us by God, understand that God gave us certain talents for us to use to the best of our abilities. And, because of those gifts granted to us, we have every right to make the most of them for ourselves.

“They have a right to the acquisitions of their parents; to the nourishment and improvement of their offspring; to instruction in life, and to consolation in death.”

In other words:

That whatever a family endeavors to do to increase its cumulative wealth, it, by right, has the ability to pass that wealth onto generation upon generation without fear of government seizure; to bring up the next generation without fear of government intrusion or interference; and that government will not interfere in how people enter and leave this world – that this sacred act is between families, the person, and their God.

“Whatever each man can separately do, without trespassing upon others, he has a right to do for himself; and he has a right to all which society, with all its combinations of skill and force, can do in his favour.”

In other words:

If I want to do certain thing to my property, mind, body, and spirit, I have the right to do…so long as it does not adversely impact upon the wealth and happiness of another. Additionally, when society collectively advances, each individual in that society has the right to have equal access to those advancements.

“In this partnership all men have equal rights; but not to equal things.”

In other words:

We all have the right to try, but not necessarily the right to succeed…and certainly not the right to forcibly redistribute the wealth of others.

This paragraph is probably good to have in one’s hip-pocket as we start our debate on energy, education, economics, the environment, transportation, and more between now and election day.

Additionally, when thinking about these rights, it’s also good to note that it is another person’s DUTY to allow you to have it.

For example, it’s ridiculous for someone to say a person has the “right” to marry, because that would mean there is someone out there whose “duty” it is to marry him.

However, it does make sense that a person has the “right” to pass on their knowledge and wealth to their offspring. It is the duty of society to permit such a transaction to occur.

Equally fascinating in this list of rights is what’s not listed…such as most of what’s enumerated in our Bill of Rights.

At any rate, I thought this might be some interesting food for thought. Do you agree with my interpretation? Any additional ideas?

Сейчас уже никто не берёт классический кредит, приходя в отделение банка. Это уже в далёком прошлом. Одним из главных достижений прогресса является возможность получать кредиты онлайн, что очень удобно и практично, а также выгодно кредиторам, так как теперь они могут ссудить деньги даже тем, у кого рядом нет филиала их организации, но есть интернет. http://credit-n.ru/zaymyi.html - это один из сайтов, где заёмщики могут заполнить заявку на получение кредита или микрозайма онлайн. Посетите его и оцените удобство взаимодействия с банками и мфо через сеть.