Authoritarian conservatism - Politics in Minutes (2016)

Politics in Minutes (2016)

Authoritarian conservatism

The conservative emphasis on protection of property, rather than individual rights and liberty, carries with it an implication that without strict laws and enforcement humans would revert to an anarchic state in which everybody would be out for what they could get. To maintain order and protect property governments must strictly exert their authority. This can be done by enforcing respect for traditional community and religious values, and obedience to political authority by reinforcing rigid social hierarchies.

Law and order are therefore a cornerstone of conservative policy, and in practice this may often be in the form of opposition to calls for civil rights and liberties, and even with some authoritarian conservatism an antipathy to popular participation in representative government. This sort of authority, wielded by a ruling elite both qualified and entitled to govern, places duty over rights, and is necessary to strengthen the institutions that maintain stability within society.

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