Core beliefs Paleoconservatism

1 core beliefs

1.1 name
1.2 conservative heritage
1.3 human nature, tradition , reason
1.4 concrete roots
1.5 anti-federalism
1.6 family

1.6.1 post-family order

core beliefs
name

the prefix paleo derives greek root palaeo- meaning ancient or old . tongue-in-cheek, , refers paleocons claim represent more historic, authentic conservative tradition found in neoconservatism. adherents of paleoconservatism describe paleo-. rich lowry of national review claims prefix designed obscure fact recent ideological creation of post-cold war politics.

the paleoconservatives use term conservative differently opponents of leftism. paleocons may reject attempts rush limbaugh , others graft short-term policy goals—such school choice, enterprise zones, , faith-based initiatives—into core of conservatism. due paleoconservatives desire see these incorporated long-term institutional goals, rather short-term victories movement itself. in way, paleocons regarded taking long view toward conservatism, willing suffer temporary setbacks while never taking aim off goal of establishing primacy of conservative thought politics.

moreover, samuel t. francis, thomas fleming , other paleocons de-emphasized conservative part of paleoconservative label, saying not want status quo preserved. fleming , paul gottfried called such thinking stupid tenacity , described series of trenches dug in defense of last year s revolution. francis defined authentic conservatism survival , enhancement of particular people , institutionalized cultural expressions. said of paleoconservative movement:

what paleoconservatism tries tell americans dominant forces in society no longer committed conserving traditions, institutions, , values created , formed it, and, therefore, conservative in serious sense , wish live under traditions, institutions, , values need oppose dominant forces , form new ones.

the earliest mention of word paleoconservative listed in nexis article j. patrick lewis in october 20, 1984, issue of nation, referring academic economists allegedly work redefine poverty. american heritage dictionary (fourth edition) lists generic, informal use of term, meaning extremely or stubbornly conservative in political matters. outside of united states, word spelled palaeoconservative.

conservative heritage

many paleoconservatives identify classical conservatives , trace philosophy old right republicans of interwar period influenced u.s. not join league of nations, reduce immigration passage of immigration act of 1924, , oppose franklin roosevelt. further, edmund burke, anti-federalist movement stretched days of thomas jefferson john c. calhoun.

just paleoconservatives non-interventionism stems skepticism extent—if @ all—european culture can transplanted or forced upon non-western cultures, paleoconservatives opposition immigration rooted in skepticism of ability of non-western peoples adopt european culture. result, paleocons distinctive in emphatic opposition open immigration non-europeans, , general disapproval of u.s. intervention overseas. sam francis wrote:

we believe united states derives , integral part of european civilization , european people , american people , government should remain european in composition , character. therefore oppose massive immigration of non-european , non-western peoples united states threatens transform our nation non-european majority in our lifetime. believe illegal immigration must stopped, if necessary military force , placing troops on our national borders; illegal aliens must returned own countries; , legal immigration must severely restricted or halted through appropriate changes in our laws , policies.

they critical of neoconservatives , sympathizers in print media, talk radio , cable tv news. paleocons not conservatives in sense wish preserve existing institutions or seek merely slow growth of modern big-government conservatism. not wish closely identified u.s. republican party. rather, seek renewal of small r republican society in context of western heritage, customs , civilization. author joseph scotchie wrote:

republics mind own business. governments have limited powers, , people busy practicing self-government worry problems in other countries. empires not bully smaller, defenseless nations, can t leave own, hapless subjects alone... empires , small government aren t compatible, either.

by contrast, paleocons see neoconservatives empire-builders , defenders of republic, pointing rome example of how ongoing campaign of military expansionism can destroy republic.

on issues, many paleocons hard distinguish others on conservative spectrum. example, tend oppose abortion on demand , gay marriage, while supporting capital punishment, handgun ownership , original intent reading of u.s. constitution. on other hand, paleocons more sympathetic environmental protection, animal welfare, , anti-consumerism others on right.

human nature, tradition , reason

paleoconservatives argue since human nature limited , finite, attempt create man-made utopia headed disaster , potential carnage. instead, lean toward tradition, family, customs, religious institutions , classical learning provide wisdom , guidance.

thomas fleming stated opposition abstract ideals in way critic david brooks called startling crescendo :

among dangerous of our theoretical illusions political fantasies can summed in words democracy; equality, , natural rights; principle of 1 man, 1 vote , american tradition of self-government. no 1 lives in world eyes open can believe in of this.

historian w. wesley mcdonald explains opposition ideology way:

in humane social order, community of spirit fostered in generations bound together. according [russell] kirk, link achieved through moral , social norms transcend particularities of time , place and, because form basis of genuine civilized existence, can neglected @ great peril. these norms, reflected in religious dogmas, traditions, humane letters, social habit , custom, , prescriptive institutions, create sources of true community final end of politics.

along these lines, joseph sobran, in pensees , argues western civilization relies on civility @ center of society:

civility relationship among citizens in republic. corresponds condition call freedom , not absence of restraint or coercion, security of living under commonly recognized rules of conduct. not these rules enforced state; legal institutions of civility depend on ethical substratum , collapse when absent. , in fact colloquial sense of civility manners relevant political meaning: citizens typically deal each other consent, , have please , thank each other.

certain paleoconservatives tradition better guide reason. example, mel bradford wrote questions settled before serious deliberation concerning preferred course of conduct may begin. ethic based in culture of families, linked friendship, common enemies, , common projects. conservative keeps clear sense of southern grandmothers have meant in admonishing children, don t .

thomas fleming calls tradition body of wisdom , truth , set of attitudes , behavior handed down 1 generation another. our parents respect grandfathers reflect when refuse think ourselves wiser our ancestors , not presume condemn shortcomings. following tradition, joseph sobran said society can maintain continuity past, through words, rituals, records, commemorations, , laws:

there no question of resisting change. question can , should salvaged devouring time. conservation labor, not indolence, , takes discrimination identify , save few strands of tradition in incessant flow of mutability. in fact conservation hard never achieved sheer conscious effort. of has done habit, when speak in such way make ourselves understood others without having consult dictionary, , thereby give little permanence kind of tradition language.

furthermore, james kalb argues tradition succeeds ideology fails because includes habits , attitudes things hard articulate rationally. many aspects of social life resist clear definition, technocratic approaches social policy deserve suspicion:

our knowledge partial , attained difficulty. effects of political proposals difficult predict , proposals become more ambitious effects become incalculable. can t evaluate political ideas without accepting far more beliefs, presumptions , attitudes possibly judge critically.

concrete roots

many paleocons westerners have lost touch classical , european heritage, point in danger of losing civilization. robert s. griffin notes paleocons fear united states becoming secularized, homogenized, de-europeanized, pacified, deluded, manipulated, lowest-common-denominator-leveled, popular-culture-dopified country

the decadence of civilization loss of faith , vigour can observed more once in history. extraordinary american situation stupidity. romans, such impression, did not become stupid , incompetent decadence. americans have not lost faith in cultural inheritance—they have been entirely separated it. how happened 1 of few topics still worth exploring in twilight.

paleocons tend dislike abstract principles presented without connection concrete roots, religion, heritage or traditional institutions. distaste universalism includes doctrinal conclusions socialists, neo-thomists , straussians. example, mel bradford wrote in better guide reason (citing michael oakeshott) that:

the freedom can last freedom embodied somewhere, rooted in history, located in space, sanctioned genealogy, , blessed religious establishment. equality abstract rights, insisted upon outside context of politics, provide equality of universal slavery. lesson western man beginning learn.

some paleocons profess conservative value-centered historicism, gottfried defines belief historical circumstances set values. distinguished nihilism, postmodernism , moral relativism. samuel francis argued position burkean appeal tradition. example, edmund burke wrote in reflections on revolution in france.

i cannot stand forward, , give praise or blame relates human actions, , human concerns, on simple view of object, stands stripped of every relation, in nakedness , solitude of metaphysical abstraction. circumstances (which gentlemen pass nothing) give in reality every political principle distinguishing color , discriminating effect. circumstances render every civil , political scheme beneficial or noxious mankind.

claes ryn says life has enduring purpose, 1 manifests differently individuals , circumstances different. writes:

for conservative, universal imperative binds human beings not announce purpose in simple, declaratory statements. how, then, 1 discern demands? difficulty. through effort can or true or beautiful discovered, , must realized differently in different historical circumstances. same universal values have diverse manifestations. of concrete instantiations of universality take surprise. because there no simple roadmap good, human beings need freedom , imagination find it. universality has nothing uniformity.

anti-federalism

anti-federalism key aspect of paleoconservatism, adherents see antitype managerial state. paleocon flavor urges honoring principle of subsidiarity, is, decentralized government, local rule, private property , minimal bureaucracy. in international context, view known federalism , paleocons john c. calhoun inspiration.

as role of statecraft in society, thomas fleming says should not confused soulcraft. gives summary of paleocon position:

our basic position on state has been twofold: 1) recognition man social , political animal cannot treated individual without doing damage human nature. in sense libertarian theory wrong , potentially harmful communism. commonwealth therefore natural , necessary expression of human nature provides fulfillment of human needs, , 2) modern state cancerous form of polity has metastasized , poisoned natural institutions state derives legitimacy—family, church, corporation (in broadest sense), , neighborhood. thus, mistake try use modern state accomplish moral or social ends.

russell kirk, example, argued government tasks should performed @ local or state level. intended ward off centralization , protect community sentiment putting decision-making power closer populace. rooted in christian notion of original sin; since humanity flawed, society should not put power in few hands. gerald j. russello concluded involved different way of thinking government, 1 based on understanding of political society beginning in place , sentiment, in turn supports written laws. anti-federalism extends culture too. in general, means different regional groups should able maintain own distinct identity. example, thomas fleming , michael hill argue american south , every other region have right preserve authentic cultural traditions , demand same respect others. in southern context call on citizens take control of own governments, own institutions, own culture, own communities , own lives , wean dependence on federal largesse. that:

a concern states rights, local self-government , regional identity used taken granted everywhere in america. united states no longer, once was, federal union of diverse states , regions. national uniformity being imposed political class runs washington, economic class owns wall street , cultural class in charge of hollywood , ivy league.

in similar fashion, pat buchanan argued during 1996 campaign social welfare should left control of individual states. called abolishing u.s. department of education , handing decision-making on parents, teachers , districts. controversies such evolution, busing , curriculum standards settled on local basis. in addition, opposed 1998 puerto rican statehood plan on grounds island ripped cultural , linguistic roots: let puerto rico remain puerto rico, , let united states remain united states , not try absorb, assimilate , americanize people hearts forever belong island.

family

paleocons argue modern managerial society threat stable families. allan c. carlson, former president of rockford institute, argues that

the family natural , fundamental social unit, inscribed in our nature human beings, rooted in marriage, rooted in commitment bring new life world, , rooted in deep respect both ancestors , posterity.

he calls universal rule of human nature, true westerners , non-westerners alike. argues happiness comes through natural family bonds , future of nation shall way of family. defines family man , woman living in socially sanctioned bond called marriage purposes of propagating , rearing children, sharing intimacy , resources, , conserving lineage, property, , tradition.

to human familial. significant departure family rooted in stable marriage, welcoming of children, , respect ancestors , posterity—any deviation social structure makes in way less human : is, think fair say, true message of modern science.

joseph sobran picks same theme, saying heterosexual marriage hard-coded human nature:

[even] pope can’t change nature of marriage. existed, necessity of human nature, long before jesus or abraham... has nothing mere disapproval of sodomy. societies indifferent sodomy saw no reason treat same-sex domestic partnerships marriages. why not? because such unions don’t produce children... put unromantically possible, people have children should stuck each other, sharing responsibility.

paleocons question validity of gender feminism in similar ways, questioning feminism in both radical , moderate forms. push total gender equality dehumanizes both men , women, damaging nuclear family , sacralizing abortion. attitudes toward feminism create room managerial state try engineering sexual equality. gottfried described position, influenced scholar allan carlson, thus:

the change of women s role, being mothers self-defined professionals, has been social disaster continues take toll on family. rather being culminating point of western christian gentility, movement of women commerce , politics may seen opposite, descent increasingly disconnected individuals social chaos.

post-family order

allan c. carlson says live in post-family order , in elites no longer accept centrality of family life. in response, calls pro-active social conservatism seeks real alternatives centralized ‘corporate state’ compatible liberty , family life. argues there permanent tension between family , individualist, industrialized society. says modern abstract state sees family principal rival , tries suppress it. can hurt family living unintended consequences of public policy intentions. chides u.s. republicans consistently favoring wall street on main street.

as alternative abstract state , carlson argues state must recognize men , women different in reproductive, economic, , social functions , though share political , property rights. says churches , other religious bodies must step in , rebuild family-centered communities. common people, says,

men , women both called home rebuild families inner sanctity, relearn authentic meanings of ancient words husbandry , housewifery, , exercise natural family functions of education, care of weak, charity, , common economic life.

carlson argues family s greatest challenge in 21st century comes calls soft totalitarianisms , packaged around militant secular individualism, still seeking build marriage-free, post-family order. includes same-sex marriage, left s association of family values abortion, , equity feminism . samuel t. francis uses similar ideas argue society should regulate sexual behavior, laws against sodomy , gays in military.