Russell Kirk, on page 474 of The Conservative Mind, defines conservatism as the “negation of ideology,” with there being “no simple set of formulas by which all the ills to which flesh is heir may be swept away.” To delineate this concept, it is prudent to clarify what the “negation of ideology” does not entail.… Continue reading Why conservatives reject ideology
It is often claimed by leftists that conservative and nationalist dissidents are in fact ‘Nazis’. Because the left is so indiscriminate with the term, this brings about something of a shared plight among all those individuals so afflicted. Meaning, that traditional conservatives have more in common with legitimate National Socialists, than progressives bent on imposing… Continue reading Traditional Conservatism vs Social Darwinism
By now, it is well known that the left has been winning and the right losing–for a long time. Some say this losing streak began in the 1960’s, others blame World War Two, World War One, or even the French Revolution; nevertheless, this probe is unimportant for our purposes. What is acutely important, instead, is… Continue reading The Masters of Hegemony
After recently pointing out issues with conservatism of the ‘small government’ stripe, it is proper to positively stipulate the aspects of traditional conservatism. In short, traditional conservatism could be understood to entail: References:
I wrote last month: In our liberal democracy, issues that carry an abiding potential for violence are downplayed. This is seen in the phenomenon of ‘conscience’ votes, whereby politicians mitigate terse disagreements by simply abdicating the fight for deeply held moral beliefs. This retreat from upholding morality in the public sphere is marked among self-described… Continue reading The Conservative Retreat From the Public Sphere
I have a friend that is fairly well connected in the Liberal party. He often reproaches me for not supporting Scott Morrison, arguing him to be the ‘best alternative’. True, Scott Morrison is preferable to recent predecessors: Turnbull, Abbott, Gillard, Rudd. As highlighted by Gregory Hood, however, centre-right ‘conservatives’ are desperate to keep nationalists out… Continue reading Why the Centre-Right Will Not Do
As an ideology, Liberalism is most distinguishable in its conception of human nature. Liberals have an optimistic view of humanity, regarding it to have an abiding potential for good that augments over time. In Reflections of an Australian Liberal, F.W. Eggleston captures this idea: I am an optimist, for I believe that the human mind,… Continue reading Liberal Authoritarianism
In the Conservative Mind, Russell Kirk has a chapter on two prominent 19th century British conservatives: Benjamin Disraeli and John Newman. Drawing upon their works that questioned if knowledge could be wholly obtained through scientific means, Kirk closes by exhorting conservatives to embrace a “wisdom beyond physical facts which supplants doubt by assent.” In a… Continue reading A Wisdom Beyond Physical Facts
When this blog was founded in October 2015, I described myself as a ‘conservative’. In this fledging period, I mostly blogged against Islam, ISIS, climate change, socialism, Malcolm Turnbull and Barrack Obama. Then after becoming increasingly right-wing, I detached myself from the conservative label. Yet, additional research revealed I’d jumped the gun. When defined appropriately,… Continue reading The Distinction Between Contemporary and Classical Conservatism
Although I rarely criticize those on the Right fighting common enemies, the following piece makes valuable remarks regarding Mark Latham’s criticism of ‘identity politics’, and the broader rhetoric of anti- SJW talking points. In truth I like Mark Latham, his videos and positive transformation from former Labor leader to anti- SJW journalist. And on identity… Continue reading Meeting Mark Latham – A Curious Identitarianism for Australia
To assess my personal ideology, I took a variety of political spectrum tests as shown below. Perhaps surprisingly, the tests indicate that I am a centrist/ centre- right ideologue. While these sort of conclusions don’t appear to be entirely accurate, they do suggest I have some inclinations towards pragmatism despite holding an overwhelmingly conservative/ nationalist… Continue reading Assessing my political beliefs
