Conservatism- Political ideology focusing on the preservation and maintenance of historically formed forms of state and public life, primarily the moral legal grounds, embodied in the nation, religion, tract, family, property.
Key in understanding conservatismas political ideology is installation on the protection of traditional obstacles of public life. Arriving at the end of the 18th century as a negative reaction of the European aristocracy on the Great French Revolution and its ideas, conservatism today is associated with those in politics, which is most falling under the concept of "right". Who glorifies moral installations and norms inherited from the past, counteracts radical reforms, advocates the preservation of the current order of things.
At the same time, it would be incorrect to identify conservatism with reaction. The reactionary is the one who seeks to return the past, while the conservative is interested in preserving the present, not excluding the possibility of changes in what matured to change. In this regard, it is necessary to comprehend the following formula of conservatism: "One hand to change what should, other to maintain what can be".
Treating varieties of conservatism:- traditionalism;
- libertarism;
- neoconservatism.
Liberalism - A combination of ideological and political flows, political and economic programs that are intended to eliminate or mitigate various forms of state and public coercion in relation to the individual.
Finding out the creature and basic principles liberalismIt should be borne in mind that, like conservatism, liberalism is also historically associated with the epoch of the bourgeois revolutions of the XVII-XVIII centuries. But already as their ideological justification and system of values \u200b\u200bof the new, class - commercial and industrial bourgeoisie, which was shifting a feudal aristocracy. This circumstance predetermined the basic idea of \u200b\u200bliberalism is the idea of \u200b\u200bimplementing freedom of personality, Which (that is, this freedom) is represented as universal, universal value and self-concrete failure.
Conservatism and neoconservatism
At the heart of conservatism (from lat. conservare.- Keep, guarding) is the ideas of inviolability of the naturally established order of mesh, the natural hierarchy and the privileges of a certain layer of the population, the moral principles underlying the family, religion, property.
The prerequisite for the emergence of conservatism was the Great French Revolution of 1789, as a result of which the world was shocked by the radicalism of the political reorganization. Therefore, conservatism rejects any revolutionary methods for changing the social device.
In the XX century Conservatism was forced to recognize many liberal values \u200b\u200band significantly patient began to refer to innovative ideas in politics and public life. But in its basis, the ideas of strengthening legality, state discipline and order, rejection of radical reforms.
Neoconservatism Distinguishing the desire to adapt the traditional values \u200b\u200bof the conservative to the realities of modern post-industrial society. Confessing such spiritual values \u200b\u200bas a family, religion, morality, soci & frosting stability, the mutual responsibility of citizens and the state, respect for human rights, neoconservatism finds a lot of their adherents among voters. Party based on the ideas of conservatism exist in the USA (Republican Party), Japan (Leberalo-Conservative), England (conservative). And the number of supporters of this ideological flow continues to grow. Conservatives are increasing their political capital in France, Germany and other countries.
Conservatism arose at the end of the XVIII century as a reaction to French enlightenment and the Great French Revolution. Conservative ideology was a response to the challenge of liberalism and radicalism. Since conservatism arises precisely as opposition to liberal views on the nature of man, freedom, equality and fraternity, it does not consider it independent, "clean" ideology. Conservatism interpreted as the epiphenomen of liberalism, i.e. The phenomenon concomitant liberalism, the appendage of liberalism. Similar birth of conservatism did not prevent him from becoming a fairly slender system of views, which has undergone a significant evolution, adapting to the modern world.
Intellectual conservative tradition was developed by the Englishman E.Berc (1729-1797), French
J. de Mostro (1754-1821). L. De Bonald (1754-1840). They became the founders of the traditional conservative direction, which was distinguished by the rejection of the nygilistic nature of the French revolution of the XVIII century, bourgeois democracy and individual freedom. "Founder fathers" of the political ideology of conservatism expressed the interests of the aristocracy, those layers, which capitalism deprived of a sustainable social condition and class privileges.
The optimistic look of the liberals on the nature of man, the mind and the will of which is able to transform society on the basis of freedom, the conservatives opposed the idea of \u200b\u200bthe original imperfection of human nature, due to the wonderful projects of the radical reorganization of society are doomed to failure, since the established procedure is violated by the centuries. The genuine "nature" of man, was considered conservatives, in general, alone, the concept of "freedom." The meaning is only the specific historical freedoms produced by ancestors, proven by tradition and taken as a historical heritage.
The most important principle of conservative ideology is moral absolutism , recognition of the existence of unshakable moral ideals and values. These moral ideals and identity values \u200b\u200bshould be formed by all ways of social and state impact and curb the "sinful" nature of man. Politics in this sense also can not be free from morality.
Another major principle of conservatism is traditionalism . Traditional principles are, according to conservatism theorists, the foundation of any healthy society. Public reforms should be based on spiritual traditions and values \u200b\u200bcreated by all previous generations. E.Berk believed that in any society there is solidarity of generations. Each political decision maker should make it responsibly not only before its contemporaries, but also ancestors, and descendants. The constructive rationalism of Liberals E.Berk demonstratively opposed the apology of "prejudice". It is in the "ordinary prejudices", the wisdom inherited from the ancestors is accumulated in tradition, the collective mind is reflected, including political.
The traditionalism of conservative ideology is closely connected with political realism. Conservatism alien doctrine approach. Political practice, according to conservatives, should not rely on naked theoretical schemes. The reforms that are conducted in society should be designed not to an abstract person, but on real people from flesh and blood, the lifestyle of which, well-established habits cannot be suddenly changed without great misfortunes. Conservatism returned the political thought of the feeling of historical, defended into a stormy revolutionary time the continuity of the historical development and the preservation of the useful parts of the "old public building", instead of the invention of abstract designs on a "clean sheet" of revolutionary history.
Conservatism, especially modern, positively refers to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe equality of people before God. Equality exists in the region of morality and virtue, perhaps even political equality. But all forms of conservative ideology do not accept social equality, are anti-magalutarial. No society is unthinkable without a hierarchy and, therefore, inequality. It is in this that the basis of the order corresponding to "Nature". Egalitarism destroys the social hierarchy, on which social stability is based. At the same time, antihagalitarianism does not mean that the conservatives advocate for the rigid pyramidal structure of society. Social mobility vertically and horizontally important for social development. Even at the end of the 18th century, E.Berk formulated the principle of meritocracy, in accordance with which power should be in the hands of decent people, immigrants from various social groups. Taking political democracy over time, the conservatives became supporters of elite democracy, when a democratic mechanism makes it possible to form a professional political elite and puts forward to power worthy. Decent - worthy - this is the principle of conservatives in relation to the social status of the person.
Conservative ideology negatively relates to the trend of the politicization of people, which was particularly clearly manifested in the 20th century. Private interests are more important to humans than politics. Politics is the scope of political elites. The participation of masses in political life should be limited and under control.
Conservatism is typical oriented to local, regional, national values. The society is not scattered into individual sand grains of individuals, but focused on the general, the whole, on "we". It is focused primarily at the local level: in the family, community, arrival, craft corporation, local government institutions. Social "we" at the local level is a natural source of stability, upbringing, preserving traditions, formation of patriotism.
Conservatism in the XIX century gradually turns into a modification of ideology, which takes some values \u200b\u200bof liberalism, first of all - political. Bourgeois, having surpassed revolutions and won political power, also looking for support in new socio-political ideas. Special attention in conservatism was attracted by the desire for the unity of society, to the means of strengthening the authority of power, to the hierarchy, to the emphasis of the binding role of spiritual values.
In the XX century, conservative theories developed under significant influence of classical liberalism. In the United States, the so-called market conservatism emerged, which considered trends towards state regulation of the economy as a dangerous gap with liberal traditions of Western civilization, as "road to slavery" and totalitarianism.
Until the 70s of the 20th century, conservatism occupied peripheral positions, was in defense in relation to liberal reformism and social democratic theories. The rise of conservatism begins with the second half of the 70s and especially since the beginning of the 80s, when in many countries of the West, political forces who adopted the ideology of conservatism came to power.
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- Introduction
- 1. Conservatism as ideology
- 2. The ideology of conservatism: origins, essence, evolution
- 3. Principles and installation of conservatism
- 4. Conservatism in the context of the ideology of the Belarusian state
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Introduction
The formation of the ideology of the modern Belarusian state is not at the empty place. It relies on the development of the development and operation of the world's long-established ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, etc.
The term "conservatism" comes from the Latin "CONSERVE", which means "I preserve, guarding."
Conservatism is a multi-level and complex social phenomenon. It:
1) a political ideology that puts forward the maintenance of the moral and ethical foundations of society, the naturally historical established institutions of state and political procedures, as well as the preservation of stability (about) and continuity, as factors of sustainable development of society;
2) A combination of parties and movements that occupy the main positions in the right-hand side of the Idean-political spectrum.
Earth and special situational interpretations of conservatism - S. Huntington, for example, proposed to be considered it with a historically changing value content: this is "a system of ideas that serves as the existing order, regardless of where and when it takes place, and directed against any attempts His destruction. "
Political conservatism has become a reaction to excessive radicalism of the Great French Revolution. And if many of his ideas (organity, the cult of unlimited monarchical power and clericalism, the inviolability of class privileges) were rejected by the subsequent development of political thought, then others (the need for respect for the state and norms of traditional morality, the assumption of only gradual, evolutionary changes in society, criticism of equalization psychology and Excessive individualism) found their continuation in the ideology of neoconservatism (or liberal conservatism), the key developers of which A. de Tokville, R. Akton, F. Hayek, K. Popper, I. Kristol, and others.
This ideology has been formed at the beginning of the XIX century and was counterweight liberalism. If liberalism expressed the interests of the bourgeoisie, then conservatism is the interests of the landowner aristocracy (England - E. Berk, France - de Mester and De Bonal).
Conservative ideology opposes the ideal of liberalism and revolutionary radicalism in the transformation of public obscures. The main meaning of the ideology of conservatism is to justify the original traditions and social institutions (patriarchal family, communities, churches, guilds, aristocracy, etc.), which are considered a manifestation of natural law, grow natural historical way from the natural nature of human and society.
In contrast to liberal views on the nature of a person who defends the ideals of freedom, equality, fraternity, conservatives believe that human nature is initially inherent in imperfection that the radical reorganization of society is always doomed to failure, because at the same time, the established natural order, which corresponds to the nature of the person who has been violated Completely alien to the concept of freedom.
For the first time, the design of conservatism in a relatively slender system of views occurred in the works of thinkers who spoke in the midst of the Great French Revolution, Englishman Edmund Berk (1729-1797), French Joseph de Meset (1753-1821) and Louis Bonald (1754-1840). Of course, the palm of championship among the indicated "founding fathers" of conservatism as the socio-political flow on the right belongs to Edmund Berk. His book "Reflections on the Revolution in France", which appeared in 1790 (still considered something like the Bible of Conservatism), where he first criticized the French revolution and for the first time formed the basic principles of the ideology of conservatism. These brand ideas gave rise to numerous followers.
In the subsequent prominent representatives of conservative thought were French Francois de Chastroan (1768-1848), Felista de Lamene (1782-1854), Joseph Artur de Gobino (1816-1882), Englishman Benjamin Dizraelie (1804-1881), Spaniard X. Donos Cortes (1809 - 1853), German Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898). Of the famous scientists of the XX century. The Italian Gaetano Mosca (1858-1941), Germans Karl Schmitt (1888-1985), Martina Heidegger (1889-1976), Americans Daniela Bella (r. 1919), Seimir Martina Lipset (r. 1922 ). It should be noted that now in the Western countries the conservative socio-political tradition continues a very impressive number of researchers and practical politicians.
The term conservatism was first used by the French writer - Romantic F. Shatubin, who gave the name of the conservative to the periodic edition, intended for the propaganda of the ideas of political and clerical restoration. This concept entered into a wide use of Germany in the 1930th century, and in England it was officially accepted in 1835, and began to designate the ideology of the feudal-aristocratic reaction of the period of the French bourgeois revolution of the late XIX century, as well as criticism of the ideas of enlightenment on the right and The apology of feudal obscures, and noble-cleaned privileges.
In Russia, the foundations of conservative political philosophy were laid by N.N. Karazin in a note on ancient and new Russia (1811), as well as in the history of the Russian state (1804 - 1829).
Among the prominent representatives of the Belarusian socio-political thought, the ideas of Western European conservatism did not wear their obvious followers and excellence, which is carried out by virtue of the characteristics of the socio-historical development of the Belarusian society, a long time deprived of an independent political path, the opportunity to be a subject of their own historical destiny. However, researchers of the culture of Belarus XVI - XVII centuries. Socially political views of S. Budomoy, as moderately conservative, since it is an adherent of active social activities within the framework of existing public institutions. The equalization social ideas and requirements of the state and complete freedom for all, nominated by representatives of the radical direction, S. S. Budnaya opposed the model of a social device based on peaceful coexistence and cooperation of various social groups developing evolutionally, without revolutionary upheavals.
conservatism ideology Absolutism Belarusian
1. Conservatism, asideology
In political vocabulary, conservatism concept was used for a long time with a negative tint. It served, as a rule, to designate oblique commitment to everything unchanged, outdated in public life and was not otherwise determined, as a reactionary direction in politics, but recently is characterized by sustainable interest in this political flow, the desire to rethink its ideological settings. This interest is primarily related to the fact that the 1980s were triumphal for political parties to conservative orientation in all the leading countries of the West. Interest in conservatism for our socio-political science is also associated with the process of the old paradigm and the search for a new one who is experienced by it. It should be assumed that this process will lead to rethinking and established in the previous years of the tradition of the hierarchy of various ideological and political values.
In the literature there are various definitions of political conservatism. In the most general form, it can be interpreted as a socio-political course focused on the preservation and strengthening of the established forms of economic, social and political life, traditional spiritual values, for the denial of revolutionary changes, distrust of the people's movements, a critical negative attitude towards reformist projects. This socio-political orientation is inherent in both sufficiently wide public groups, political forces and individual individuals in a wide variety of countries.
All conservatism researchers agree that this course of socio-political thought was formed after the Great French Revolution as a result of a critical assessment of its experience and results. Its fundamental postulates were born as an answer, the reaction to the first experience of implementing the French Revolutionaries of the Epoch of Enlightenment. Of course, the conservative thought did not remain unchanged, in 200 years she has undergone significant evolution, adapting to the changing world.
Conservatism is an ideology aimed at the conscious retention of identity, the preservation of the living continuity of evolutionary development.
Conservatism - ideological commitment to traditional values \u200b\u200band orders, social or religious doctrines. For the main value, the preservation of the traditions of society, its institutions and values \u200b\u200bis taken. Conservatives in domestic policy emphasize the value of the existing state and public order and reject radical reforms regarding them as extremism. In foreign policy, conservatives make a bet on strengthening security, allow the use of military force, try to support traditional allies, protectionism is defended in foreign economic relations.
Conservatism is a combination of socio-philosophical ideas, as well as economic, political, other values \u200b\u200band ideals, which, revealing the nature of society, the state and place in them of a separate individual, are focused on the preservation of established traditions, careful attitude towards radical changes. Conservatism as ideology does not always identify the programs of political parties, calling themselves conservative.
The most important feature of the conservative ideology is that it focuses on the protection of existing public life obligations, negatively applies to popular movements and revolutionary changes. Conservatism is based on the priority of continuity before the innovation, recognizing the inviolability of the order that has developed naturally, as well as paramount importance in the life of the society of morality, family, religion and property.
A conservative reaction to changes can be quite different: it is an open opposition based on the idea of \u200b\u200bthe modern model of society, as justice for all times, and the reactive focus on the restoration of the public device that existed in an earlier period. Conservatism does not recognize one time and forever selected forms of the social device, paying attention mainly to the nature of the change and insisting on the fact that they should only be gradual, evolutionary.
Its characteristic feature is opposition to certain types of reforms, especially those that proceed from abstract ideas, and not from the objective course of development. In an ideological plan, conservatism can take various forms.
The following basic principles and the position of conservatism ideology are allocated:
§ The principle of the institutional order of things as the right of limitations (E. Berk). According to this principle, the Company is a product of natural historical development, and its institutions are not an artificial invention, because Implement the wisdom of ancestors.
§ The basis of society is religion, because Man is a religious creature.
§ The basis of human behavior is the experience, habits, prejudices, and not abstract theories, because Man creature instinctive, sensual and reasonable.
§ Society (community of people) There is a form of human protection from himself and therefore it should be valued above the individual, and human rights are a consequence of his duties.
§ The principle of anti-etalitarianism, according to which people are not equal to nature and therefore the differences, hierarchy and the right more worthwhile over others are inevitable in society. In the ideology of conservatism, the equality of people is recognized only in the sphere of morality and morality, relations before God and Divine justice. Conservatism is consistent anti-etalitarianism. Justified by the fact that the social hierarchy, i.e. The inequality of people is the necessary basis of order, social stability. People are not equal in their abilities, and the attitude of the hierarchy is directed against the power of defective.
§ The principle of stability and the invariability of the social system, according to which the cash public system needs to be protected, for attempts to radically change it, improve, for example, eliminate the existing evil, lead to even greater evil. According to this principle, there is a presumption in favor of any installed board system, against any unused project.
§ The principle of moral absolutism, according to which there are eternal and unshakable moral ideals and values, since the human nature is unchanged.
§ According to the principle of meritocracy, formulated by E. Berk, the government should belong to the natural aristocracy, i.e. The most gifted, decent people, people from various social groups.
§ The principle of regionalism, according to which it is necessary to navigate the local, regional, national values \u200b\u200band traditions. Hence the importance of local self-government ideas.
Modern conservatism, taking political democracy, adheres to not so much orientations of anti-etalitarianism, how much elite democracy, ensuring the mechanisms of the professional political elite and the authorities worthy. At the same time, this ideology is characterized by a negative attitude to the politicization of the property of wide folk highways as the trends of the twentieth century leading to the destabilization of the Company.
Conservatism as a socio-political phenomenon and ideology has undoubted political features and positive social importance, therefore, it can and should be present in the political life of each country in reasonable limits. Without a conservative one, it is impossible to ensure the stability of society and its evolutionary development. Conservatism defends and approves many of these values \u200b\u200bthat are necessary to society and any decent person. It is very attractive in conservatism Holy respect to the historically established traditions, customs, moral standards and ideals, as well as prudent. Weighted attitude to all kinds of innovations and arbitrary transformation. Natural healthy and moderate conservatism is present in the nature of the Belarusian people, our national mentality.
2. The ideology of conservatism: origins, essence, evolution
Conservatism is an ideological course that insists on the gradualization of changes in the Company, taking into account the well-established organic collective values \u200b\u200band traditions. Conservatism is not theory (even in a weakened sense of the word), but by a special style, or in a way, reflections on social problems, within which there are different, often acutely half the lempsing with each other specific social theories.
Origins.
The origin of conservatism is usually associated with the publication in 1790. The work of the English political thinker E. Berka "Reflections on the revolution in France". The main problem of his writings is the question of why the British revolution of 1640 gave rise to freedom in society, and French - degenerated into unheard of tyranny. The Catholic Theologian J. De Mester ("Study of France", "Notes on Sovereignty", "On the origin of political constitutions"), Louis de Bonald ("Theory of Political and Religious Power") and the Swiss political figure and writer . Galler.
General provisions that share representatives of this area during the XVIII-XIX centuries are as follows:
1) The laws of history and society are predetermined by God, and a person cannot accelerate the course of history and create fundamentally new public institutions, without causing chaos (J. de Ment: "A person is able to change everything in the field of its activities, but he does not create anything, both in the physical field and in moral ").
2) the nature of a person is complex and contradictory, and social relations are too complex and confused - and therefore the transition to a simple public device, as well as its restructuring on a rational plan is impossible and harmful; The improvement of the same person can gradually be carried out at the expense of proper education and education within the framework of existing institutions (J. de Ment: "The art of reforming governments is not to overthrow them and rebuild on the basis of ideal theories").
3) Not society is a product of human activity, but a person is a product of the life of society (education, education), and therefore his forces are insufficient for indigenous perestroika (L. de Bonald: "Man exists only through society, and society creates it for himself" ).
4) In conservative thinkers, one way or another is the idea of \u200b\u200ba certain life began in total real world. For example, at V.Soloviev, Sofia was the soul of the world, the wisdom of God. It was assumed that a person's attempt to intervene in the natural evolutionary and organic process of the development of society can only bring harm (for society is an organism, and it cannot be rebuilt as a car). Therefore, any changes can only be partial and gradual.
5) Prejudice and traditions ("hidden collective mind", "age-old wisdom of the people") have an advantage over the distracted philosophical and political theories and the mind of a separate person ("reasonable sophisticated and economists"), since they are supported by the experience of generations and naturally complement the laws (Ryarolol: "What are the judgments or prejudices, they are good because they are stable. And therefore so well complement the laws").
6) Human rights are abstraction, devoid of historical roots, in contrast to the specific rights of the British or French (i.e., "Historical Law"), and a separate person should not oppose himself to society as a whole (organity).
7) Laws and Constitutions are truly effective if they are based on moral and religious norms (E. Berk: "We know that there were no discoveries, and we think that there is no need for any discoveries in morality") and have Unwritten character (J. De Mester: "There is a lot of laws that need to be followed, but which do not need to record").
8) The mind of a separate person in politics and social development issues is doomed to an error, for it cannot cover all the complexity of existing problems in this area - that again emphasizes the importance of support for experience and tradition (J. De Mistroca indicates that "experience and history Almost always contradicts distracted theories "; E. Berk admits that" the mind of a separate person is limited, and the individual is better to take advantage of the common bank and the capital of peoples ").
9) the revolution does not exempt, but destroys a person; At the same time, not so much a person manages the revolution as a revolution - man.
Essence
Today, supporters of the ideology of conservatism see its advantage in that, while maintaining its ideological and value core and taking various modifications (liberal conservatism, religious conservatism, elitarian conservatism), he is able to imagine new ideas (social, technological, etc.) And give answers to the main challenges of our time:
1) global chaos - through the strengthening of national states and national-religious traditions, which will provide the world with genuine, geopolitical multipolarity and inter-civilization dialogue;
2) social autonomy - through the strengthening of the traditional moral and religious values \u200b\u200bof the Company;
3) the problem of social atomization - through the consolidation of the Company on the basis of common spiritual and moral values;
4) the problem of political alienation - through the creation of a fundamentally new model of relations between elite and society, built on the principles of ministry and responsibility;
5) the problem of the global deficit of resources - through the promotion of the ideas of individual self-restraint for the satisfaction of spiritual needs, as well as the creation of a more environmentally friendly and socially oriented model of the economy.
Evolution.
The term "conservatism" in its modern meaning was first introduced by the French royalist and classic of European literature Francois René de Chastubrants. Conservatism originated in England as a direct reaction to the French revolution 1789. He was E. Burk's founder, a significant contribution to the development of conservatism was made at 19 V. S. Kalridge, A. Tokville, A. Muller, J. De Mester, F. Lamenne, L. Bonald, and others. Word entered into a wide use of Germany in the 1830s, in England it was accepted only in 1930 E GG Conservatism has always opposed, on the one hand, the liberalism with whom he shared, however, many important common values, and on the other - socialism. At the end of the 19th century Socialism resolutely pushed not only liberalism, but also conservatism. In the 1930s, when there was a clear death of radical socialism, liberalism was released to the fore, which insisted on the state regulation of the economy and the transfer of a number of social functions. Supporters of conservatism continued to play the freedom of market relations. In the 1970s. The term "neoconservatism" appeared and acquired an influence, in principle, the need for state intervention in the economy, but the main role of market mechanisms of regulation. 1980s. Became a period of victories of political parties of conservative orientation in many developed capitalist countries.
According to the founders, conservatism is a system of ideas that serves as the preservation of the existing order, no matter how this order is. Conservatism arises there and then where and when social institutions are faced with the threat of indigenous transformations. Therefore, every time conservatism acquires ideological design opposite to the doctrine from which the threat of changes is proceeded. He does not have its own content. For this conservative, not the truth or justice of his opinion is important, and its institutionality, i.e. The ability to protect this social system to ensure the retention of state power. Nevertheless, the practical experience and rhetoric of conservatives allow you to designate the general provisions peculiar to this ideological direction.
In a wide political turnover, the term "conservatism" was introduced in the mid-30s of the XIX century. As ideological movement, conservatism originated on the outcome of the XIX century. Under the crisis of the classical liberal ideology caused by the expansion of state activities to regulate the economy in industrialized countries.
In conservatism, the main value is made to preserve the traditions of society, its institutions, beliefs, and even "prejudice", although the development of society is not rejected if it is gradual, evolutionary. Conservatism admits inequality as the property of society. One of the main features of conservatism is the rejection of revolutionary changes.
Conservatism is a combination of heterogeneous ideological and political and cultural flows based on the idea of \u200b\u200btradition and continuity in social and cultural life. During the history, conservatism acquired various forms, but in general it is characterized by commitment to existing and well-established social systems and standards, the rejection of revolutions and radical reforms, upholding the evolutionary, distinctive development of society and the state. In conditions of social change, conservatism is manifested in carefully to a layer of old orders, restoring lost positions, in recognizing the value of the ideals of the past. Conservatism is one of the four so-called basic ideologies (that is, they have a tradition and continuing to "work" today) democratism, liberalism, socialism and conservatism. The slogan of conservatism is the traditional unity.
The main provisions of conservatism (another interpretation, modern look):
1) The possibilities of the human mind and knowledge of society are limited, for a person by nature is a imperfect being, lowland and in many respects vicious. By virtue of the imperfection of human nature, all the projects of the radical reorganization of society are doomed to failure, since the established procedure is violated by the centuries.
2) moral absolutism, recognition of the existence of unshakable moral ideals and values.
3) traditionalism. Traditional principles are, according to conservatism theorists, the foundation of any healthy society.
4) denial of social equality capabilities. At the same time, conservatism positively refers to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe equality of people before God. Equality exists in the region of morality and virtue, perhaps even political equality.
5) Conservatives - adherents of a strict hierarchy of society, in which each person takes a strictly reserved place corresponding to his status.
6) Initially, the conservatives expressed distrust of democracy, especially a populist sense, the conservatives became supporters of elite democracy, when the democratic mechanism makes it possible to form a professional political elite and puts forward to power worthy (the principle of meritocracy - power should be in the hands of decent people, immigrants from various social groups ). Decent - worthy - this is the principle of conservatives in relation to the social status of the person. The participation of masses in politics should be limited and under control.
7) In the economic sphere, conservatives as well as liberals make a bet on business development, private entrepreneurship. They oppose heighten control by the state for the functioning of the economy. The economy must have a maximum of freedom. Freedom by many conservatives is interpreted as the right of every person to property and unlimited competitive struggle in society. Private property is sacred and inviolable. She is a guarantee of personal freedom, prosperity and social order. Therefore, no one has the right to encroaches private property, to alienate it under any pretext in its favor.
8) In the political sphere, conservatives advocate strong and efficient state power. At the same time, it must be limited to hostility and moral norms. The state is intended to stand guard of private property, human rights and freedoms.
9) In the social sphere, conservatives advocate the creation of a social self-sustaining system in society.
3. Principles and installation of conservatism
If you try to identify the key position of the ideology of social conservatism, underlying all of its other postulates, then it can be expressed as follows: an understanding of society as a spiritual reality that has its internal life and a very fragile structure; Confidence that society is an organism and cannot be rebuilt as a car.
With a closer examination of conservatism, according to his analysts, three cardinal problems are clearly visible, which today are key both in this theoretical tradition and in the struggle of conservatism with other ideological directions. First of all, we are talking about a conservative understanding of rational in socio-historical process. The second problem is a relationship to society. And the third is the problem of revolutions. Let us turn to the conservative interpretation of each of these problems.
One of the central provisions of conservatism, from which many others flow, is the idea that the human mind is limited in its capabilities of the perception of society in its totality, awareness of the meaning and purpose of the social process and determining the person's place in this process. All prominent representatives of this tradition believed that public affairs, along with the mind, the providence, under which, according to religious ideas, is understood by the divine power, the guiding fate of people and the whole world to good. The real social process they consider as the result of samples and errors, accumulated and transmitted from generation to generation experience embodied in social institutions and values \u200b\u200bthat a person did not construct consciously, and therefore it is not entitled to radically change them. Therefore, one of the fundamental principles of conservative ideology and practice says: although we should always strive to improve our institutions, we never set themselves the task of redoing them entirely, and therefore in our efforts to improve them we must adopt as a given much of what we do not understand; We must constantly act inside and within the limits of both values \u200b\u200band institutions that are not created by us.
The second problem arising from the first is associated with the clarification of the essence of society and the relationship between people in this society, as well as with the definition of the nature of the relationship between society and the state. Since its design as a current social thought, the conservatives oppose in solving these issues to supporters of the concept of natural rights and contractual origin of civil society and the state. The latter proceed from the fact that the state, in essence, is the secondary institute, it arises on the basis of the agreement between the persecution of its own interests, but in the Davgjan society. The conservatives believe that the state is a certain constantly existing organic integrity, the individual parts of which appear, modify and disappear, but it remains unchanged.
The third problem concerns the question of social changes: evolutionary and revolutionary. Based on the idea of \u200b\u200bthe limitity of the mind in determining the essence and direction of the development of social processes, as well as from the idea of \u200b\u200bthe organic nature of society and the state, the conservatives adhere to the concept of the historical unity of the past, present and future, continuity and renewal of social connections transmitted from the ancestors to descendants. They believe that the future should be derived from the past, and therefore the formation of the historical consciousness of their peoples is attached to the formation of the historical consciousness of their peoples, respectful attitude towards the heritage of the past, religious traditions and values.
Hence the negative attitude of the conservatives to the revolution. Based on the analysis of the revolutionary processes in many European countries from the XVIII to the XX century, the conservative thought argues that attempts to implement a radical gap with reality and implement a rationally constructed schematic model of society in practice, within which all antagonistic contradictions were removed, inevitably leads to Directly opposite results. The conservatives insist that the human mind is not omnipotent and therefore a lot of mistakes will be made both in the project of a complete reorganization of society and during the implementation of this project.
One of the central for the ideology and practice of conservatism of provisions, which, as if concentrating in itself, all the postulates discussed above is the concept of order opposing chaos. In maintaining such a procedure, including in the functioning of social and political institutions, the defining role is given to the state, which is separated from society and becomes over it. Only a strong state, according to conservatives, is able to provide a healthy social order, to win the egoism of various social groups and subjugate their common goal, a common good. Freedom for conservatives has no absolute nature, it is relative and allowed only within the framework of the necessary restrictions. For them, the interests of the state, nation, community is immeasurably higher than the interests of the individual or any social group. The most important factor in order to conservatives also consider inequality, since no society, according to their ideas, is impossible without a hierarchy. Equality, according to their thoughts, should exist only in the region of morality and virtue, where everyone is obliged to fulfill their duty.
Here, by the way, it will notice that this feature of conservatism, i.e. Commitment of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe supremacy of the interests of the nation over individual, group or class interests, brings him closer with nationalism and such a kind of latter as fascism. Rodinitis their supporters worship before the state: both, others see in it the centers of the national spirit, a pledge of stability and order. But on this, conservatism similarity with nationalism and fascism ends. Fascism as political ideology and practice absorbed a number of new features that distinguish him from traditional conservatism. The fascists put forward and tried to implement in practice not just the idea of \u200b\u200ba strong state, but the states of totalitarian, absorbing the whole society. Unlike conservatives that reject dictatorial remedies, the fascists bow to violence as a means of solving any social problems. Everywhere where they came to power were eliminated by the Institutes of Democracy, the main political rights and freedoms of citizens, and the main method of implementing power became a stately organized terror. As already noted, totalitarianism in all its forms showed its futility, which cannot be said about conservatism.
The stated fundamental provisions of classic conservatism as the areas of social thought underlie conservatism as political practices. We emphasize: the essence of the latter is a protective approach to the existing public system. This, however, does not mean that the conservatives deny any conscious changes in public life. They are against only radical transformations, as there is no guarantee that the complete reconstruction of the existing world will lead to a working social system. According to Charles Popper, a politician, like a painter, who erases everything from the canvas to write on it again, does not understand that he himself and his ideas are included in the old picture of the world and that by destroying it, he destroys her own Thoughts, and plans, and your utopia. As a result, it turns out not the ideal social model, but chaos. Conservatives prefer gradual changes in society, which leave the possibility of their further correction.
Conservatism is peculiar to preach and the desire to assert the following principles of its ideology:
1) Moral absolutism. Conservatives believe that freedom should not liberate people from moral regulations. The imperfection of human nature exposes a person to all sorts of temptations, so it is necessary to strengthen the moral and religious order. The activities of state structures must comply with moral standards, but this does not exclude the use of force in the interests of preserving or restoring lost values.
2) Pragmatism. This means that a sober calculation is needed in politics for the benefit. In politics, it is not necessary to have permanent friends or enemies, but only government (national) interests should be permanent. Conservatives oppose sharp, cardinal reform in society, especially they are categorically against any revolution. It is necessary that the reform part of society at the same time be many times less than that remaining especially gifted and capable people.
3) Traditionalism. This principle means commitment to established principles and traditions, of which they must "grow" and improve the Constitution (basic law) and other laws associated with it. They must certainly be reflected in the result of the centuries-old experience of generations of the people. The continuity of generations must be reflected in all parties to the life of society, including in government affairs.
Conservatism - Teaching and socio-political course focused on the preservation and maintenance of historically established, traditional forms of state and public life, its value rules, embodied in the family, nation, religion, property.
Looking in front of traditions and historical past.
The state and the ruling elite should not only manage the society, but also embody the wisdom of the nation.
Justification of decisive measures to protect conservative values.
Restrained attitude towards social change, a positive attitude only to the changes that are consistent with the existing order and develop controlled controlled, and not synchronously.
Critical attitude to the potential possibilities of improving humans and society with the help of political means and methods: Only religious faith can make a person better, political laws only do not allow him to do bad.
Basic principles.
§ Society is a system of norms, customs, traditions, institutions that are rooted in history.
§ An existing institution is preferable to any theoretical scheme.
§ Pesssimism in the assessment of human nature, skepticism against the human mind.
§ Disbelief in the possibility of social equality between people.
§ Private property - guarantor of personal freedom and social order.
§ denial of subjective will in regulating public life.
Basic political ideas.
§ Traditions define the public being of the individual.
§ Protection of family, religion and national greatness.
§ Social inequality and political competition.
§ Refusal to active political interference in public life.
§ neglect of parliamentarism and electoral institutions of power.
4. Conservatism in the context of the ideology of the Belarusian state
At the beginning of the XXI century, ideology and ideological activities are all definitely transformed from private and personal in public and socially significant things. The ideology not only became known for the past historical experience as a form of self-knowledge of classes and large social groups of people, but also the form of justice and orientation of states and individual individuals. Conservatism as a political ideology is not only a system of security awareness, which preferring the former government system (regardless of its goals and content) of the new, but also very specific guidelines, and the principles of political participation, attitudes towards the state, social order, etc.
Modern understanding of ideology:
§ ideology call the set of ideas expressing the interests of the carrier,
§ a set of political beliefs and installations (liberalism, conservatism, socialism, nationalism, anarchism, etc.),
§ A combination of ideas reflecting the economic structure of society (rich and poor, manufacturers and consumers, etc.),
§ System of ideas serving and justifying certain types of social practice and differing from theoretical reflection of reality.
Conservatives believe that human nature is initially inherent in the imperfection that the radical reorganization of society is doomed to failure, since it is disturbed by the centuries established natural order, the concept of freedom is completely alien.
The basic principles and provisions of the ideology of conservatism are:
§ The principle of the instituted order of things as "the right of limitations". According to this principle, society is a product of natural historical development.
§ The basis of civil society is religion
§ The basis of human behavior is the experience, habits, prejudices, and not abstract theories.
§ Society is a form of human protection from himself and therefore it should be valued above the individual, and human rights are a consequence of his duties.
§ The principle of antihagality, according to which people from nature are not equal and therefore differences, hierarchy and the right to rule over others are inevitable in society. In the ideology of conservatism, the equality of people is recognized only in the sphere of morality and morality.
§ The principle of stability and the invariability of the social system, according to which the cash public system must be protected.
§ The principle of moral absolutism, according to which there are eternal and unshakable moral ideals and values, since the human nature is unchanged.
§ The principle of "meritocracy", where the authorities should belong to the "natural aristocracy", i.e. The most decent people, commendations from various social groups.
§ The principle of regionalism, according to which it is necessary to navigate the local, religious, national values \u200b\u200band traditions. The ideas of local self-government are relevant.
It is important to note that conservatism acts as an ideology, which does not have an ideal of a perfect social system. It acts only in defense of cash, proven experience and time of social institutions when they are threatened. The fundamental practical idea of \u200b\u200bconservative ideology is traditionalism - installation on the preservation and protection of old samples, ways of life, values \u200b\u200brecognized by universal and universal. The most effective basis of government management is the combination of the Constitution with the tradition. The ideological conservatives prefer the idea of \u200b\u200bpractical action, philosophy of pragmatism, adapting circumstances, i.e. opportunism. Pragmatism, opportunism, orientation on compromises - Important installations of conservative thinking.
Contrary to generally accepted opinions, it is hardly possible to recognize that Belarus in the early 90s has passed through full-fledged national construction. Liberal transformations in Belarus have been slow and modified by significant "national characteristics". The traditional conservatism of Belarusians had a huge impact on this process: it provided a relatively low pace of liberal transformations. In addition, their internal struggle between the functionaries of the state apparatus was braked: the overwhelming majority of the ruling elite of Belarus were formed as the Soviet management elite - the Directorate of large enterprises. This led to the subjective rejection of the draft shock deindustrialization by this social group. However, such a subjective rejection was based on significant objective prerequisites. So, in other countries, total privatization and dismantling industry was carried out with relatively minor negative social consequences, then in Belarus, the former assembly shop of the USSR would be left without the livelihood of more than half of the working-age population of the country, which would have the most unfavorable consequences not only for Social and political stability, but also for statehood as a whole. Therefore, "conservatism" of Belarusians had and is currently quite a rational explanation.
However, the general focus of the currently carried out in 90? X GG.20 c. Reforms was definitely liberal. The traditional measures have been implemented for "shock therapy": large-scale privatization, liberalization of regulatory activities of business entities, restructuring of political life for the samples of the classical parliamentary democracy. The implementation of these measures, pursuing the socio-cultural inertia and the commitment of the Soviet senses and the stereotypes of the majority of the population, also required the organization of powerful work on changing the dominant ideological matrix.
The main focus in this work was to stimulate the development of nationalist sentiment, primarily through policies in the field of culture and education. These transformations, nevertheless, did not wear such a radical character, which they are trying to attribute the modern Belarusian official propaganda. So, adopted in 1990, the law "On Languages" announced the Belarusian language with the only state, but also took into account the interests of the country's linguistic minorities. In addition, the introduction of this law by force was stretched over time.
Nevertheless, in the conditions of the beginning of the 90s for Belarus, a few years ago, he had considered the most allied of all the Allied Republics, "even such measures were radical (in addition to the fact that the country was not clearly technically for the adoption of such measures). Belarusians who had the richest experience of inter-ethnic communication and organically adopted Soviet internationalism, dozens of years of employed in Russian and on it, communicated, could not accept such sharp turns. One of the results of the development of these trends was a rather strict response on the national issue after the victory in the 1996 referendum. The Soviet part of the Company headed by President A.G. Lukashenko. Many Belarusian-speaking schools were translated back into Russian, some were closed, etc.
Yes, Belarusian society should develop, but it is necessary to do this, first of all, within the framework of its own cultural tradition. To borrowing ideals, values \u200b\u200band purposes, it is necessary to approach carefully. Own traditions, ideals, values, goals and installations make up the edge of our people. They are not invented, but are distinguished by our people, the result of the natural adaptation of society to the surrounding natural and social worlds.
The introduction of alien installations will never be able to make one or another people look like Western, and the foundations of the original civilization can destroy the foundations. In this case, it is possible to say with all certainty that not only the culture of the people will disappear, but the people himself will disappear.
Thus, conservatism as a socio-political phenomenon and ideology has undoubted positive features and positive social importance, therefore, it may have to be present in the political life of each country within reasonable limits. Without a conservative one, it is impossible to ensure the stability of society and its evolutionary development. As noted in the report of the President of the Republic of Belarus A.G. Lukashenko "On the state of ideological work and measures for its improvement", the individual elements of the ideology of conservatism "from nature are inherent in the Belarusians in such features traditional for them, like" Dobroschlіvastsi "," Memonicunas "," TalerantAsci "," Raw "vasts ". This is already in the blood entered. Our generation does not know this, it does not remember, but the former generations lived, apparently, in the conditions of domination of this conservative approach in ideology. And many concepts today do not lose their relevance. It is necessary to be good conservatives in the good sense of the word. In no case, we do not discard many ideas of conservatism ideology. "
Conclusion
Despite the fact that liberalism and conservatism are two unequal approaches to the consideration and solution of socio-political problems, they still coexist in all Western societies in each Western societies. Modern parliamentary democracies alternately choose then one, then another approach in solving the urgent problems of social development. It follows from this that it is impossible to believe in advance that one of these political traditions, for example, conservative, "worse", and the other, liberal, is "better." It is not difficult to see that in our country today, when discussing various public problems, various, in their essence also "liberal" and "conservative" approaches to their solution are offered. From our point of view, the present political life lacks conservatism, i.e. Careful attitude towards the heritage of the past, the preservation of all the best in social relations, which was achieved both in the Duoktyabrs' period of our history and in Soviet times. The truth, apparently, consists in a reasonable combination of these two political approaches.
Thus, it can be argued that there is no insurmountable face between conservative and liberal political positions. In each society, among the various categories of citizens, the tendency towards one or another type of political consciousness is detected. This is due to social, group, professional, age and individual characteristics of people. According to analysts, all over the world people associated with the army and the protection of public order are more conservative, and representatives of the artistic intelligentsia are more sensitive to the topic of personal freedom. The older generation is usually more conservative, and the youth is more liberal.
Moreover, in one person may well and should be combined both conservative and liberal approaches to various socio-political phenomena. For how otherwise it is possible to ensure continuity in the implementation of socio-political innovations, if not through a careful attitude towards the heritage of the past? So in politics it was possible not only to the "pure" liberal or a conservative, but also a liberal conservative, and vice versa. Actually, precisely as liberal-conservatives can be characterized by the socio-political views of such prominent thinkers, as the French historian who already mentioned the French historian and the political figure of Alexis de Tokville, the English philosopher and sociologist Karl Popper and the Austro-American economist and philosopher Friedrich von Hayek. The same position is typical today for many other scientists and politicians in Western countries. Both beginnings are conservative and liberal - they are also manifested in the political behavior of most citizens of these countries, which invariably support are moderately conservative or reformist programs and refuse to trust with radical socio-political projects.
Bibliography
1. Internet search engines: Google Yandex.
2. Comb V.A. "Basics of the ideology of the Belarusian state." 3rd edition; Minsk, Miu 2010 publishing house.
3. Lukashenko A.G. On the state of ideological work and measures to improve it. The report of the President of the Republic of Belarus on a permanent seminar of management workers of republican and local government agencies on March 27, 2003.// on the state of ideological work and measures to improve it: materials of the permanent seminar of republican and local government agencies. -Mn., 2003.
4. Babos E.M. Basics of the ideology of the modern state. - Mn., 2004.
5. Basics of the ideology of the Belarusian state: history and theory. Tutorial for students of institutions that ensure higher education; 2nd ed. / S.N. Knyazev et al. - Mn., 2006.
6. Yaskevich Ya.S. Basics of the ideology of the Belarusian state. - Mn., 2004.
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In terms of social life, ideology is classified for humanitarian, economic, social. Political ideology as a form of public consciousness. State power, financial and economic power as essential objects of ideology.
Conservatism (from the Latin Conservo - to guard, maintain), in a broad sense - the designation of mindsetting and life position, the characteristic features of which are the commitment of tradition - social, moral, religious, associated distrust of any radical innovations and preference for slow, gradual changes (" Organic evolution "). By definition of one of the most prominent ideologues of the British conservatism M. Okshott, "to be a conservative means to prefer the famous - unknown, tested - unknown, the fact - a riddle, a possible, possibly limited - Beschen, close - a distant, sufficient - excessive, convenient - ideal .. . "(Oakeshott M. Rationalism in Politics, And Oter Essays. L., 1962. R. 169). In this sense, conservatism is not associated with any particular theory, there is mainly latent and receives any ideological design as an answer to the challenges facing a specific society and undermining the established way of life.
In a narrower sense, conservatism is one of the socio-political currents of the 19-20th century, the ideology of which, however, is difficult to systematize the diversity of those religious, cultural and historical, national traditions, which are usually referred to the conservatives. Unlike liberalism and socialism, conservatism, who has no perfect social system, is determined by S. Huntington as an "institutional ideology", that is, acting in defense of cash social institutions when they are threatened.
The emergence of conservatism as a political flow at the end of the 18th - early 19th century is associated with the reaction to the events of the French revolution of the 18th century. He received his initial expression, first of all, in the program "reflections on the revolution in France" (1790) E. Broke, as well as in the compositions of J. De Meset, L. Bonald, early F. R. De Lamenne, S. Kolridge, German publicists and political thinkers F. Genza, A. Muller, etc. The term was rooted thanks to the name of the F. R. de Chastubrant published in 1818-20 magazine "Le Conservateur". A negative attitude towards this early political conservatism was a negative attitude towards the attempts to re-create a society on any "rational" project: the claims of the educational "autonomous" mind with its abstract concepts of the ideal social device was opposed to the authority of the tradition - collective beliefs, morals and customs in which they embodied The centuries-old experience of this people submitted by such historically established institutions as the church and the state (religion as "the basis of civil society" at Broke, the Union of "Throne and the Altar" at J. de Meset et al.). The tradition is understood by Burcom as a successive connection not only with past, but also with future generations. Transcendent-transmitted fundamental values \u200b\u200bhave their source transcendental moral order established by God and superior human understanding. Evil initially rooted not in certain public institutions, as believed in J. Rousseau, but in the very human nature carrying the seal of the original sin. The revolutionary requirements of equality and liberal doctrines, which came from the social atomism, was opposed to the concept of society as a hierarchically arranged organic whole, in which various individuals and groups by virtue of tradition perform different tasks for the benefit of this one. The theory of the public contract was rejected as rationalistic fiction.
Conservatism in the Anglo-Saxon world was more liberal than in the countries of continental Europe, where the central role in the preservation of social stability was given to the state and the church. E. Burk, a defender of personal freedom and British parliamentarism, attached importance in the formation of an individual "Small Clanes" - family, guilds, associations. K. Metterni, the most prominent conservative politician of the restoration era, believed that it was impossible to postpone the principles of the British Constitution to the European Continent. Clerical monarchical ideas of French traditionalists and a number of German romantics largely identified the ideology of the Holy Union. A number of philosophical and legal concepts that have been developed, primarily in Germany are connected with early conservatism: a historical school of law (F. K. Saviny) and others.
The first political party, which was called "conservative" since the 1830s, were British Tori (see the Conservative Party), whose leader R. Pil saw the task of the party in conducting reforms while maintaining public order. Throughout the 19th century, together with rapidly industrialization, urbanization, the completion of the formation of national states, there was a gradual transformation of conservative ideology and politics: the conservative parties began to express the interests of not only the preferred estates of the "old order", but also industrialists, agrarians, urban and middle bourgeoisie. In France, along with the conservatism of legitimists from the "Unmatched Chamber", by the 1830s "liberal conservatism" is formed (the term introduced into the turnover of F. GIZO), to which supporters of Louis Philipp were focused. In Germany, where conservatism was mostly associated with the idea of \u200b\u200bpreserving the "old order", there was also "reforming conservatism" (reformkonservatusmus) K. Fom Mattein. In the UK, liberal political reforms, which provided the most part of the population, were held by the Cabinets of Tori - Pily and B. Dizraeli. O. Von Bismarck and Dizraeli became the most prominent conservative politicians of the 2nd half of the 19th century. Conservatism of this era often closes with nationalism. By the beginning of the 20th century, there are also extremely right conservative parties (for example, Aksion Frances, headed by Sh. Morsom).
The basic principles of Russian conservatism were formulated at the end of the 18th and early 19th century M. M. Shcherbatov and N. M. Karamzin and received further development in the "official nationality" of theory (Count S. S. Uvarov, N. G. Ustrivilov, etc. ), in the teachings of Slavophiles (A. S. Khomyakov, Yu. F. Samarin). From the point of view of Russian conservatives, the autocratic form of the Board corresponded to the historical peculiarity of the Russian people and was considered by them as the only source of reforms and the guarantor of order in society. Visident representatives of conservatism in Russia - M. N. Katkov, N. Ya. Danilevsky, K. N. Leontyev, K. P. Pobedonossev, L. A. Tikhomirov, and others. Conservative was the views of such Russian writers and poets like F. I. Tyutchev, N. V. Gogol, A. A. Fet, N. M. Leskov, F. M. Dostoevsky. In general, the conservative character had "counter-processors" of the 1880-90s in the rule of Emperor Alexander III. In the 2nd half of the 19th century, the so-called liberal conservatism appeared (B. N. Chicherin, P. B. Struve, etc.). At the beginning of the 20th century, the organizational association of conservative forces ("Russian Assembly", the Union of the Russian People, etc.), the nationalism became one of the basic principles in the substantiation of conservatism (M. O. Menshikov et al.). After the February Revolution of 1917, the ideology of conservatism lost its influence in Russia. In emigration, conservatism was represented by the works of a number of Russian thinkers (I. A. Ilyin, the concept of "spiritually free conservatism" S. L. Frank, etc.).
After the 1st World War, the largest European monarchies disappeared, and along with them practically gone to the past conservatism, focused on the preservation of the throne and the altar. In conditions, when there was a threat to the current political and economic institutions (communism, national-socialism), liberalism acquired protective functions, and therefore liberal conservatism performed as the ideology of the main right parties. At the same time, the radicalization of the part of the conservatives took place, which took some program positions of the socialists. With the greatest force, this was manifested in Weimar Germany, where the ideology of the "conservative revolution" arose.
After the 2nd World War, the programs of major right parties in Western Europe combine elements of liberalism and conservatism. In the 1970s, neoconservatism arises in the United States and Great Britain, which had a noticeable impact on the politics of Government R. Reagan and M. Tatcher. In the controversy with the liberal political philosophy, there was a marked track of the followers of communitarianism, partly coinciding with the ideology of the so-called social conservatism (a combination of personal freedom and social responsibility principles).
In Russia, the reaction to the radical reforms of the 1990s caused the emergence of various versions of conservatism, emanating both from I. A. Ilina (A. I. Solzhenitsyn, etc.), and from the experience of Soviet "real communism" (A. A. Zinoviev et al.)
Lit.: O'Sullivan N. Conservatism. L., 1976; Kondylis R. konservativismus. Geschichtlicher Gehalt Und Untergang. Stuttg., 1986; Rémound R. Les Droites en France. R., 1988; IDEM. Les Droites Aujourd'hui. R., 2005; GOTTFRIED R.E. THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT. 2nd ed. N.Y., 1993; Manhaim K. Conservative Thought // Manham K. Diagnosis of our time. M., 1994; Schildt A. Konservatismus in Deutschland. Von Den Anfӓngen IM 18. Jahrhundert Bis Zur Genwart. Münch., 1998; Russian conservatism of the XIX century. M., 2000; Gusev V. A. Russian conservatism. Tver, 2001; Kirk R. The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot. 7th Ed. Chi., 2001; Nisbet R. Conservatism: Dream and Reality. 2nd ed. L. a. about, 2002; Chernavsky M. Yu. Religious and philosophical foundations of conservatism in Russia. M., 2004; Repikov A.V. Conservative ideas about the reorganization of Russia (the end of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century). M., 2006; Pipes R. Russian Conservatism and his criticism: a study of political culture. M., 2008.
A. M. Rutkevich, A. A. Kulikov.
franz. CONSERVATISME from lat. Conservare is to guard, maintain) - one of the main directions of political philosophy, which is expressed in the historically specific political ideology. Elements of conservatism can be detected by Aristotle. Since then, in Western thought, attempts will not cease to formulate the principles of conservatism. The ideologists of conservatism include E. Berka and M. Okshott (1901-90).
Berk, being a member of the Lower Chamber of the British Parliament from the Vogov Party, formulated the principles of conservatism in his works on the specific problems of the British, European and World Politics 2nd. 18 V. An event that allowed him with the maximum visibility to present the Credo of conservatism was the French revolution 1789. For Berk, she appeared as a maximum of evil, which is capable of causing people deprived of the right understanding of their nature and the laws of the human hostel. The basic principles of such an understanding can be reduced to the following: 1) A person has a religious being, and religion forms the basis of civil society, 2) Society is a product of historical development, and its institutions embody the wisdom of ancestors; 3) a person as a creature of instinct, feelings and minds is better supervised by experience, habit and prejudice, rather than abstract theories; 4) Evil is concluded in the human itself, and not in public institutions; The community has a form of human protection from himself and therefore it should be valued above the individual, and its rights have only a consequence of duties; 5) people from nature are unequal and therefore the differences, hierarchy and the right to rule over others are inevitable in society; 6) Cash public system must be protected, because usually attempts to eliminate evil lead to causing even more evil, which does not mean the negation of the need to change (Burke E. Reflections on the Revolution In France. L., 1790; Rus. L. 1992, with . 85).
It should be noted that any attempt to abstruct these principles from the context of thought and turn them into a kind of "symbol of faith" or a list of mandatory beliefs causes a protest of representatives of conservative philosophy. Oakshott In one of his essay insisted that "the predisposition to be a conservative in politics is not at all obliges us to adhere to these beliefs as true, nor even assume that they are true" (Oakeshottm. On Being Conservative. - Kirk R. (ED.). The Portable Conservative Reader. N. Y, 1982, p. 585). The traditional reluctance of conservatives to reduce their worldview to a universal theory, to determine it rather as "predisposition", but in no case as a reasonable doctrine leads to the fact that conservatism turns out to be deprived of its own dynamics. As S. Huntington stated: "Conservatism detection is simply parallel ideological reactions to similar social situations. The content of conservatism is essentially static. Its manifestations are historically insulated and discrete. T about., No matter how paradoxically, conservatism, being a protector of tradition, itself exists without tradition. Conservatism - this call for history, without history, "(Huntington S. Conservatism AS An Ideology. -" The American Political Science Review ", 1957, No. 51, P.469).
Such an understanding of conservatism allows us to consider this political ideology functionally - as an answer to the challenges facing a specific society with its specific economic, political and cultural issues. There is no need to reduce it to just an aristocratic reaction to the French revolution of 1789, neither turn into a nadistoric "eternal" philosophy. Conservatism as an ideology that does not have an ideal of a perfect social system (there is no "conservative utopia"), is determined by Huntington as an "institutional", that is, acting in defense of cash social institutions when they are threatened. Unlike the "ideal" ideologies (liberalism and socialism), which have a public ideal (Ibid., P. 458). It follows from this that it is preferable to build based on historical originality, as N. 0Salvanized, proposed to distinguish between "reaction", "revolutionary" and "moderate" conservatism, presented by France, Germany and Great Britain (see: Osullivan N . Conservatism. - Eatwell R., Wright A. (EDS). CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES. L, 1993, p. 52-53).
It is mistaken to bury conservatism only because he transmits his own functions to liberalism as an ideological ideology. This was done by J. Wece, who completed his work with the conclusion that after 1945 "The history of European conservatism ended" (Weiss J. Conservatism in Europe 1770-1945. Traditionalism, Reaction and Counter-Revolution. L., 1977, p. 173) . There is a different opinion. For example, J. Gray, recognizing the need to "reject all those forms of conservatism, in which fundamentalist liberalism found a political abode" (Gray J. Enlightenmentss Wake. Politics and Culture at the Close of the Modem Age. L.-N. Y , 1997, p. 119), foresees the transfer - in order to preserve the "liberal civilization" in the UK - the political function of conservatism to the left forces. His, hopes Gray, will be able to save and grow up conservative "grains of truth", to which now include only three principles: 1) A person is not a representative of universal humanity, but the product of a specific culture; 2) progress and continuous improvement are possible, but meaningless; 3) Cultural forms are primarily in relation to economic and political institutions. And if such a transformation with conservatism will occur, then in the new century it will be the institutional twin of "multiculturalism" as an ideological ideology.
In Russia, the foundations of conservative political philosophy were first laid by H. M. Karamzin in a note on ancient and new Russia (1811). In the future, Russian conservatism was most brightly represented by K. N. Leontyev and K. P. Pobedonossev, L. A. Tikhomirov and V. V. Rozanov. The classic conservative criticism of the Bolshevik revolution is the book N. A. Berdyaev "Philosophy of inequality. Letters to the enemies in social philosophy "(1923), from which he later refused. The most thoroughly from the position of "spiritually free conservatism" political philosophy was developed by S. L. Frank in the book "The Spiritual Fundamentals of the Company" (1929).
LIT.: POST OF J. DE. Reasoning about France. M., 1997; Mante K. Conservative thought. - In the book: He is. Diagnosis of our time. M., 1994; Gorminomer G., Frenkin A. A. New conservatism: Challenge for Russia. M., 1996; Pains R. Russian conservatism in the second half of the nineteenth century. M., 1970; Russian conservatives. M., 1997; OSULLIVAN N. CONSERVATISM. L., 1976; Scruton R. The Meaning Of Conservatism. L., 1980; Nisbet R. conservatism. N. Y, 1986; Miner V. The Concise Conservative Encyclopedia. N.Y., 1996.
L. V. Polyakov
K. originated in England as a direct reaction to the French revolution 1789. He was E. Berk's founder, a significant contribution to the development of K. was made at 19 V. S. Kalridge, A. Tokville, A. Muller, J. De Mester, F. Lamene, L. Bonald, and others. For the first time, the term "K." It was used in the beginning. 19th century Fr. Writer F. Shatubrants, gave the name "Conservative" Periodic Edition. The word entered a wide use in Germany in the 1830s, in England it was accepted only in the 1930s. K. always opposed, on the one hand, the liberalism, with whom he shared, however, many important common values, and on the other - socialism. In con. 19th century Socialism resolutely sweating not only liberalism, but also K. in the 1930s, when it became the clear death of radical socialism, liberalism came to the fore, which insisted on the state regulation of the economy and the transfer of a state of a number of social functions. Supporters K. continued to advocate freedom of market relations. In the 1970s. Appeared and acquired the influence of the so-called. Neoconservatism, which recognizes in principle the need for state intervention in the economy, but the main role of market regulation mechanisms. 1980s. Became a period of victories of political parties of conservative orientation in many developed capitalist countries.
K. It can be described as the theoretical understanding of traditionalism - a more or less universal trend towards the preservation of old samples, established ways of life. K. implies respect for the wisdom of ancestors, the preservation of old moral traditions, a suspicious attitude towards the radical transformation of social inces and values. K. understands society as a special reality, having its inner life and a very fragile structure. He is convinced that society is a living and complex organism, and it cannot be rebuilt as a car.
Form The predecessors of K. were English. "Moral philosophers" D. Yum, A. Smith, and others, who considered that social in-you are not the implementation of some plans or projects, but are rather a spontaneous product, which comes without a prior plan of people's activities and the results of the gradual Selection of the most efficient forms. K. rejects the "engineering" view of society, according to which it is capable of consciously, according to a predetermined project to control and direct its evolution. K. emphasizes that the main social in-you, the moral traditions and the practice of capitalist society - the sovereignty and autonomy of individual, private property and private entrepreneurship, political and intellectual freedom, democracy and the rule of law - were spontaneously developed during cultural evolution, without K.- l. preliminary plan. Social progress is a path of trial and error. "The mind has a separate person is limited, and the individual is better to take advantage of the common bank and the capital of peoples" (E. Berk).
K. As a way of thinking, the conservative reformism is engaged in separate details, the replacement of one single factors dr. Single factors ("improvement") and does not seek to change the system as a whole to eliminate uncomfortable facts. Dr. A key feature that distinguishes conservative thinking is the interpretation of their freedom. Liberalism takes freedom as the personal right to act on his own will, and first of all as an opportunity to enjoy integral human rights. Freedom of the individual is limited to only similar freedom of other people. K. does not attack the idea of \u200b\u200bfreedom itself, but he doubting the idea of \u200b\u200bequality lying deeper. It is argued that people are fundamentally unequal, unequal talent and abilities are unequal at their own creature. "Freedom consists not in the ability to act one way or another according to arbitral decisions, freedom is in the ability to keep itself and live in accordance with the deepest being of his own personality" (F. Stahl). Another point that shared supporters of accelerated progress and conservatives is that progressive thought characterizes validity not only in the category of possible, but also in category Norms; Conservative thought, on the contrary, trying to understand reality as a result of the influence of real factors and comprehend the norm in the category of reality. "The specific nature of the conservative experience of phenomena in a wider context is based on the coming approach, from their past. For progressive thought, everything in the ultimate instance acquires its meaning because of something outside or above itself, from the utopia of the future or from correlation with the transcendental form. In turn, the conservative sees any meaning of the phenomenon in what is behind him, or in the past as an embryo of evolution. Where a supporter of progress will think in categories of norms, a conservative - in the categories of the embryos "(K. Manhaim).
The methodologically conservative criticism of thinking based on the idea of \u200b\u200bnatural law included the following main points: the conservatives replaced the mind to which they constantly referred
their opponents, such concepts as "History", "Life", "Nation"; The deductive inclination of opponents, the conservatives opposed the idea of \u200b\u200bthe irrational nature of reality; In response to the liberal postulate of the essential similarity of individuals, the conservatives put forward the problem of their radical differences; The liberal belief that all political and social innovations have universal use, the conservatives opposed the concept of a social body. "The conservative thinks the category" We ", while Liberal is the category" I ". Liberal analyzes and isolates various cultural areas: law, government, economy; The conservative is committed to a generalizing and synthetic look "(manneham).
Modern K. is trying to connect two trends: characteristic of classical liberalism respect for the freedom of a separate individual and traditional for K. Protection of such values \u200b\u200bas morality, family, religion, law and order, etc. Now there is practically no independent pure conservative or liberal tradition. The direction of thought, called in a broad sense liberal, organically absorbed the main elements of K.
The confrontation of socialism that puts forward a radical collectivistic plan (in particular communist) reorganization of society, ultimately led to rapprochement and even the merger of liberalism and K., always remained in the position of the protection of the basic values \u200b\u200bof the modern capitalist society.
About Migranyan.m. Rethinking conservatism // Questions of philosophy. 1990. №11; Mante K. Diagnosis of our time. M., 1944; Hajiyev K.S. Political science. M., 1996; Ivin.A. Philosophy of history. M., 2000; Stahl F.J. Die Gegenwartigen Partien in Staat Und Kirche. Berlin, 1863.
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