ABSTRACT
Conservatism is an elusive ideology. Although there are conservative streams of thought in parties and movements calling themselves ‘conservative’, the main ideology of these movements is a combination of liberalism and nationalism, with the former particularly dominant. There are far fewer ‘small c’ than ‘big C’ conservatives. Yet despite its marginalisation, conservatism is a distinct ideology, and conservative thinkers present arguments of continuing relevance. Above all, conservatives challenge the idea that society can be planned in a rational way without regard to tradition and historical experience. This core idea leads them to support national institutions, but not radical nationalism; individual liberty against state power, but not the natural rights that many liberals defend; spontaneous order, but not anarchism; community, but not socialist collectivism.
