1. Roots, Ideas and Definition Lecture 2 May 17

2. Problem of Explaining Conservatism Goes back to Burke’s definition… –WHAT TO PRESERVE?

3. The Greco-Roman Tradition Universal Law Civic Duty Moderation/Temperance Merit (citizen) Patriotism and Heroism Polity/ Community Pride Public Sphere

4. Principle 1: “The differences which separate humans are naturals. Class, intelligence, nationality and race make men different. Difference does not imply superiority or inferiority, it merely states an observable fact.” (13)

5. Principle 2: “Duties of man are the Price of Rights.” (Rossiter) They believe in Historic Rights not in Human Rights. They view the men in the context of established communities.

6. The Judeo-Christian Tradition Higher Law Human Nature Personal Responsibility Merit (private) Purpose Vocation Private Sphere

7. Principle 3: Humans are morally weak and imperfect. The role of the state is to restraint evil tendencies of Humans. But, improvement of Humans results from individual effort.

8. Principle 4: Nature guides humans to be motivated by selfishness, pride and glory. Therefore, we must have suspicion of rulers and good motives.

9. Principle 5: We must learn to be serve as well as to be served.

10. The Liberal Tradition Limited Government by Consent Protection Ordered Liberty Property

11. Principle 6: Power must be diffused. Political Power is dangerous, so it must be controlled by diving up responsibility and reducing authority.

12. Principle 7: Property has its rights, though these are not unlimited. The possession of private property is an asset for society as well as for the possessors. Stability, work, and responsibility are encouraged in the system of private property.

13. Principle 8: Freedom is not absolute or unconditional. Excessive selfishness is is fed by the insistence on personal rights at the cost of the society itself.

14. The Capitalist Tradition Free Markets Equal opportunity Results according to Merits Property

15. Principle 9: Government may promote morality, but it cannot create universal prosperity. Government might assist the helpless, but only when they cannot help themselves, for to do so might destroy their individual self- respect.

16. Universal Principle: In the interests of social stability it is safer to retain the existing order than replace it. Change must come, as it always has, but it can be guided by experience (tradition) and fitted into the already existing patterns. “A state without means of change … is without the means of conservation.” (Rossiter)

17. How these traditions merged? Puritans Revolution Constitutional Convention

18. IS THERE A GOLDEN AGE?

19. The Founding as the “Golden Age” Why it makes sense: 1)All core ideas were developed by then. 2)It was the period of fusion between different traditions. 3)Unique to America.

20. The Founding as the “Golden Age” Three problems: Ideas were not entirely originals. Conservatives within the Founding.