>This guy is exactly 100% right. Most so-called conservatives have no idea about what conservatism is. Hint: if you are in favor of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, you are not a conservative. Those are the watchwords of the Revolution. The real Right Wing stands for Tradition, Family and Property.
The guy is only 100% from a Continental perspective. In the U.S. things are a bit different. Given that the U.S. was founded on a set of liberal principles (and by no means do I use the term liberal in it’s current progressive meaning, but rather in the classical liberal sense of freedom, free markets, limited government) to be a ‘conservative’ would be to preserve liberal values.
It is perfectly legitimate to be a conservative and believe in ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. Freedom, equality before the law, and regard for your fellow man are in no way principles which violate core values of the U.S. founders. Only when the French radicals distorted those values well past recognition did they become something else. It’s like progressives today distorting the classic negative rights into positive ones guaranteeing free stuff.
Personally I don’t have a great deal of use for classic continental conservatives. They are usually protectionist, favor the nobility, and have high regard for social stratum. All of these are things I consider odious from an American perspective.
Great observation. Thanks.
I couldn’t have described my own philosophy any better.