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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Churchill and Conservatism long lost

Last of the Conservatives?

by StFerdIII

 “It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time.” WSC

Churchill was arguably the 20th century's most influential political personality for one important reason: in the Wet representative democracy and some form of market capitalism survived the onslaught of fascism thanks in part to his leadership. It is the 'West' with its heritage and ideals about liberty, freedom, free markets and rights, which affirms the hopes of all of mankind. Without Churchill it is debatable if Europe would have survived Hitler and the pagan Nazi fascists. Without moral and philosophical lucidity and valour civilisation falls to the pagans. Churchill had intelligence, insight, and moral and philosophical clarity and courage. The twin fascism's of national socialism and communism which murdered 100 million people and destroyed progress in the victim societies by generations, were modern expressions of barbarity as pernicious to progress as slavery; Islamic submission to a moon deity; or Napoleon's mad warring and destruction which held back European growth and progress for two generations. Fascism reposed in gang rule, one party rule, one man rule, divine rule with no human free-will, or submission to a pagan cult, is an ugly creed that never dies.

In the past century social and political revolutionaries helped change the basic ideals and constitutions of society. The weeds of Socialist Marxism in the guise of Obama for example, does not spring from infertile ground. The positives of recent historical development still outweigh the crushing power of the negatives. Inventors, writers, scientists, business men, activists for various causes and media personalities all effected change and innovation that has propelled the world onto a trajectory today that in 1936 was beyond even the most lurid of science fiction fantasy. Thankfully more people now live under representative government than ever before in history, yet it would have been a brave man in 1936 to predict that 70 or 80 years later society would have developed in such a manner with such astounding progress. A simple fact bears this out. In 1936 the average life expectancy was less than 40 years in industrialized countries. Today's life expectancy is trending towards 80 years. Though others might have had a more immediate and dramatic impact on human affairs in the 20th century, few were as emblematic of freedom and the Western Enlightenment concepts of fair economic exchange; rational thought; political pluralism; human and civil rights; military preparedness and civilized courage, as Churchill.

Churchill was the 20th century's most influential person, because he represented, defended, and extended the franchise of the orthodox Anglo-Saxon Liberal-Parliamentary order. Yet his lessons, attitudes and beliefs are already forgotten. In this sense he was the last of the 'conservatives'. The Liberal-Parliamentary order never was the 'end of history', but merely the most successful method of organizing society yet developed. But we need to clarify some terms. First big L 'Liberal' does not mean the socialist small l liberalism of of left wing Marxists. Big L Liberalism is references the Orthodox Enlightenment based Liberalism of the 17th to 19th centuries namely, small government, low taxation, a strong military, a society keen on progress, innovation and self-reliance. In essence those ideals are branded in today's parlance by the term 'conservative' used as pejorative by socialists and small l liberals. Big L Liberalism rejects much of the cultural and program bankruptcy espoused and supposed by the welfare state, or more aptly the national-socialist political-economy.

Second, I use 'parliamentary order' on purpose. Mass democracy has its defects including mob-rule, socialist pandering to buy votes and a general apathy that the 'state' must do 'something' on each issue. Representative parliamentary and republican processes and institutions are necessary for society to develop. 'Parliamentary order' references legal, political, and systemic processes which allows a society to progress morally, spiritually, legally, economically, and militarily. Mass democracy has led in part to the emasculation of systemic processes and virtues but also to the establishment of massive systems of welfare and vote-buying which breaks society apart into little groups that must be catered to and bought. Mass democracy leads in short to corruption, bankruptcy and the curtailment of freedom.

In contradistinction to what we have today, orthodox Liberals or conservatives, believe that systemic processes, virtues and respect for individual rights and private property and ownership trump socialist vote buying and pandering to 'rights' groups. Churchill was one of the great defenders of systemic conservative human progress based on orthodox Liberal ideas. This creed is premised on millennia of experience, millions of social, economic and moral transactions and the affirmation that collective results premised on freedom of information and the accumulation of literally billions of decisions, coupled with parliamentary institutions, are far better guides to enlightenment and progress than following the utopian dreams and dictums of self-appointed and self-absorbed elites and 'great men', who desire to create the mommy-state to accrue power and control.