Posted on 09/14/2015 9:01:20 AM PDT by Academiadotorg
Supposed sages in academe and beyond have been trying to create a schism between Libertarianism and conservatism that need not exist.
M. Stanton Evans on Freedom and Virtue
“Freedom and virtue have declined together and must rise together,” author M. Stanton Evans wrote in 1964. At the time Evans was the editor of the Indianapolis News.
“So far are ‘value’ and ‘conformity’ from being identical that the second can rise to its current distasteful height only when the first declines,” Evans averred in an essay which appeared in the 1964 anthology, What is Conservatism? “A man without the interior armor of value has no defense against the pressures of his society.”
“It is precisely the loss of value which has turned the ‘inner-directed’ citizen of nineteenth-century America into the ‘other-directed’ automaton of today.” What makes that distinction particularly ironic it is the manner in which it previewed what was to come in the 1960s: So called “non-conformists” usually occupied about the same slice of the political spectrum, which generally favored big government.
“Men without values are more than willing to trade their freedom for material benefits,” Evans noted in 1964. “That the loss of moral constraint invites the rule of power is surely one of the best-established facts of twentieth-century history.” Evans would go on to write several books, including The Theme Is Freedom: the Religious Roots of American Liberty.
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute reprinted Evans’ 1964 essay in its magazine, The Intercollegiate Review.
And there we have it. Wolfie - once gain bashing conservatives - on a conservative site.
Yep. And that probably also applies to a knife as well, if the man with a knife has some idea of what he's doing.
For what it's worth, I've also come to the conclusion that, in a street fight, a decently-trained boxer would have the advantage over most highly-trained martial artists.
The main exception would be if that martial artist was in the military, and he is constantly training.
Just throwing it out there for possible discussion.
"I stand on my statement that I think that libertarianism and conservatism are travelling the same path."
So what is the interpretation of President Reagan's words here in the article that support your contention that Libertarianism and Conservatism are opposed?
I read the article to be that of one seeking, and finding, common ground among political ideologies. Do you read it as him pandering to the audience of Reason Magazine?
“Conservatives embrace social and moral values and traits that libs deny and denounce.”
True, but conservatives also recognize that you cannot instill social and moral values in people through government force.
Pandering? No. Being courteous and not abrasive? Yes.
“Now, I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say...”
Can you imagine what Regan’s reaction would be today to the pro-abortion, pro-dope libertarian ideals? He disagreed with them then. Imagine his disgust with them today?
Sheesh!
One of the first lessons of every martial arts course I have taken is to walk away from a fight if you can.
True, but conservatives also recognize that you cannot instill social and moral values in people through government force.
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Oh yes you can! Liberals are doing that as we FReep. So you CAN legislate morality. The questions is...
WHOSE morals?
That sounds more like the libertarian view rather than the conservative view. One of the big divisions between the two views revolves around whose “freedoms” count. This shows up especially in their respective views on abortion and immigration.
I think that is only half right.
If a "martial artist" i.e. karate, kung fu, etc. expert doesn't know how to block a punch, they're going to get punched out by a good boxer. Unless, of course, the karate whatever guy delivers a strong blow first.
Ronald Reagan would disagree.
“So you CAN legislate morality.”
I didn’t say anything about “legislating morality”. I’m talking about instilling social and moral values. Those don’t come from the law, so the law can’t instill them.
“That sounds more like the libertarian view rather than the conservative view.”
It’s not a view at all, it’s an objective fact.
exactly!
Depends on the libertarian. The major difference between a libertarian and a social conservative is not that the former rejects moral values, but that he doesn't think that ALL moral values should be enforced by the legal system.
Much like being against the Leftist viewpoint that being against government welfare programs means you want the poor to die.
What about a Western-style wrestler against an Eastern grappling martial art like Jujutsu?
What about this very direct statement by Reagan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg0Axyvlkm0
Here Reagan says quite explicitly that his political philosophy is libertarian.
Ronald Reagan was not a fascist conservative; he was by his own profession a libertarian conservative. One of his closest economic advisors, by the way, was Milton Friedman, who was also a self-described libertarian.
To argue otherwise is just delusional.
I think this guy is totally wrong in his conclusions and that seems to be based on a misunderstanding of Libertarianism as it related to the small “l” libertine streak that many or even most conservatives have.
The “l” libertine beliefs are minor in nature and shared by more than just Conservatives.
In fact it is so minor as it relates to a Libertarian, that is more akin to whether you insert the toilet paper roll to dispense from the top as opposed to the bottom.
These shared principles or ideas are not the heart nor the soul of Conservatism...they are only a few shared parts of a broader ideology.
That would be “republicans” that you are referring to, not Conservatives..
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