McManus Immorality and the Immortal Conservative

1. Auflage 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4835-7927-6
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 150 Seiten

Immorality and the Immortal Conservative bridges the gap between modern day politics, philosophy, and yoga.

Autoren/Hrsg.

McManus, Matthew

Leseproben

ONE THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD These are the two loves: the first is holy, the second foul; the first is social, the second selfish; the first consults the common welfare for the sake of a celestial society, the second grasps at a selfish control of social affairs for the sake of arrogant domination; the first is submissive to God, the second tries to rival God; the first is quiet, the second restless; the first is peaceful, the second trouble-making; the first prefers truth to the praises of those who are in error, the second is greedy for praise, however it may be obtained; the first is friendly, the second envious; the first desires for its neighbor what it wishes for itself, the second desires to subjugate its neighbor; the first rules its neighbor for the good of its neighbor, the second for its own advantage; and these two loves produce a distinction among the angels: the first love belongs to the good angels, the second to the bad angels; and they also separate the two cities founded among the race of men, under the wonderful and ineffable Providence of God, administering and ordering all things that have been created: the first city is that of the just, the second is that of the wicked. Although they are now, during the course of time, intermingled, they shall be divided at the last judgment; the first, being joined by the good angels under its King, shall attain eternal life; the second, in union with the bad angels under its king, shall be sent into eternal fire. Perhaps, we shall treat, God willing, of these two cities more fully in another place. – St. Augustine: The Two Cities Conservatism as Ideology Ideology means a doctrine, belief, myth, et cetera which guides an individual, social group, society, or any other social structure.1 In a society or civilization, ideology defines its values, how it operates, and why it exists. It is a broad category of philosophy with conservatism and liberalism as subcategories. Philosophers, in their attempt to understand objectivity, must put faith in an ideology if they hope to discover metaphysical truth. Ideology is significant because it can simultaneously degrade or enlighten. A man who believes and practices an ideology that is based in ignorance could have a paradigm of the world that is like that of a swine. Conversely, a man who appears to live in swine-like conditions could be a saint if his ideology is divine. Defining Conservatism ‘Conservative’is generally defined in four ways. The first means believing in the established and traditional practices in politics and society. Secondly it means relating to or supporting political conservatism. Thirdly, it connotes not liking or accepting changes or new ideas; and finally, it can also mean marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, elegance, style, or manners.2 Loaded Word Conservatism has a much broader application than how it is often defined and the term itself is a loaded word, meaning many different things to different people. Therefore, to use this term oftentimes creates more confusion than clarity. At the same time, the word conservative or liberal resonates with people from many different backgrounds, whether that is religious, social, economic, et cetera. In targeting an audience that is both diverse, yet united by many issues, the words conservative or liberal cannot be substituted despite having the pitfalls I mentioned. Non-Traditional Usages History shows a different story of the dynamics of conservative ideology, which extends far beyond conventional usage. Indeed the dichotomy is so multifaceted that it can be used to describe the human experience; simultaneously as a paradigm, heuristic, and belief system. On a secular level, one can look at human psychology as a measuring stick for explaining conservatism. How one may dress can indicate one’s social conservative values. How frivolously or prudently one spends money can indicate one’s level of fiscal conservatism, et cetera. The categories and subcategories can proceed to describe every human action. This is the gray area where conservative ideology and psychology intersect. Ultimately there are infinite gradations of conservatism and liberalism that account for the changes in human society. Indeed it forms the pulse of human society. At the very least conservatism provides a ray of sanity in an otherwise nonsensical world by providing a backdrop of objectivity that one can rely on and navigate from without becoming completely lost in ignorance. Conservatism & Morality At the root of conservatism is morality, a conviction and commitment to traditional values. These moral principles come from religious scripture, the basic code defining right and wrong. The conservative adherence to traditional culture and family values stem from the scripture, particularly the New Testament in the West, which outlines the conservative, utopian, God-centric vision for society. Birth of Contemporary Conservatism Modern day conservatism was founded through the French Revolution with the dismantling of the Old Order – a feudal system based on the tenants of scripture. In its place rose a plutocracy under a democratic model that was divorced from any ecclesiastical foundation. The dismantling of the Old Order was a pivotal moment because it relegated religion from the public sphere to a personal matter, seemingly divorced from state policy. Hence as the French Revolution ended, a perpetual war began, one between secular-based and religious-based political factions. French Revolution The Old Order consisted of three estates: aristocracy, clergy, and the third estate (the common man). In this system, the aristocracy and clergy held as many members as the third estate in the States General despite the third estate representing many more citizens. As such there was a great disproportion in representation. At the assembling of the states in May of 1789, the third estate demanded equal representation; specifically, they wanted to end the division of social classes with disproportionate voting power between the nobles and the proletariat, and have one assembly in which everyone received one vote. Louis XVI’s refusal of these demands incited the insurrection and capture of the Bastille. Louis XVI eventually had to acquiesce to the third estate’s demands, which consequently led to the formation of the National Assembly. At this point during the formation of the revolution, many further reforms were made that would become the standard for Western civilization. First, the assembly enthusiastically voted to abolish the feudal order – no longer were clergy and nobility given privileges over the laymen. Secondly, the Declaration of the Rights of Man, a preamble to the new Constitution, established divorce of religion and state. To the further dismay of the Church, all ecclesiastical property, which included land and possessions originally owned by the clergy was annexed as national property to be sold to private bidders. The Assembly proceeded to carve through the inner workings of the Catholic Church. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy effectively reorganized the Catholic Church in France, making it subservient to the state by having the clergy take a vow of allegiance to the constitution, abolishing their privileged status as religious figures, mandating how the diocese would operate, and controlling the clergymen’s wages. Led by Robespierre, the radical Jacobins, who were the extreme members of the Assembly, wanted to abolish Christianity, and the monarchical post altogether. They were successful at seizing control, and establishing the Legislative Assembly, which would become infamous as the Reign of Terror. Although this radical period did not last long before Robespierre was beheaded, it indefinitely shifted the ruling power away from a monarchy and towards a democratic Republic; a standard that remains today in the West. Context As mentioned in the preface, understanding the historical context is important in one’s analysis of conservatism. The context of conservatism and liberalism in the 18th century were vastly different from the context of how those words are connoted today. In the example I gave, simply analyzing the language of the Constitution, does not uncover the true sentiments of the Founding Fathers. A thorough research of the historical context is necessary to understand how conservatism and liberalism operated in the past and evolved over time. Two Cities Saint Augustine’s description of the Two Cities mirrors the unfolding of the secular state in France. It was a classic conflict of good and evil. On one side was the feudal order with its reverence to the divine, respect of the clergy, and service to the king. The other was the Assembly with its disdain for social hierarchy and religious conviction. The French Revolution was a watershed that converted society from religiously oriented to secular and materialistic. Categories of Conservatism There are three main ways conservatism works: socially, economically, and politically. From these three main branches, so many other classifications and nuances of conservatism can arise. Conservative economics was originally manifest in England, and was known as laissez-faire economics or classical economics. Adam Smith, arguably its founding father, gave a very detailed analysis of how...