Readings:  Edmond Burke: “Reflections on the Revolution in France”
Alexis DeTocqueville. “Democracy in America”

      a. looks different than modern forms of conservatism
      b. like evolution of classical liberalism to state liberalism
      c. modern conservatism--2 forms
        1.libertarianism--economic conservatism
        2. communitarianism--cultural conservatism

B. Edmund Burke: father of conservatism (English statesman)
   1. defined conservatism by failings of  founders of French Revolution
       a. too much reliance on human rationality
       b. not enough respect for shaping effect of traditional institutions, culture

  2. context--French society before Revolution (1798)
      a. hierarchical, unequal society
      b. monarch, nobility, peasants
      c. King & queen lived in Versailles
     d. peasants lived in misery
       1. paid taxes to nobles out of crops
       2. game forbidden to peasants

 3. classical liberal theorist in France (Rousseau)
    a. humans have ability to reason
    b. should have right to be self-governing
    c. all human beings of equal worth
    d. govt. should ensure equal treatment for all
       1.” Liberty, equality, fraternity”
       2. private property is institution which most promotes inequality

 4.crisis--wheat shortage in city
    a.excess  locked up in Bastille (taxes collected)
    b. urban peasants starving (no bread)
    c. marched to Versailles-demanded bread
   d. Marie Antoinette- "Let them eat cake."

 5. peasants marched back, stormed the Bastille
    a. took control of Versailles
    b. set up ppl's court to try nobility-"crimes against society"

 6. set up new government --based on absolute equality between citizens
    a. no social classes or titles
    b. got rid of corrupting institutions (church)
      1. churches officials had property removed
      2. purify society

 7. revenge cycle began to develop
    a. moderates were replaced by fanatics (Marat--Robespierre)
    b. innocent ppl began to be assassinated
     1. guilt by association
     2. accusation equaled conviction
   c. blood from guillotine ran down streets
   d. peasants abandoned the fields
   e. economy collapsed, inflation grew
   f. social & economic chaos developed

 8. dictator, Louis Napoleon imposed order
    a. final result, less freedom than before
    b. many innocent ppl slaughtered
    c. institutions destroyed

Edmund Burke:
    a. watching this from across the English channel
      1. spoke to nobles seeking refuge
      2. some lessons to be learned
        a. too much reliance on individual human reason
        b. too little on communal institutions, traditions
          1. stabilizing force on human behavior
       c. classical liberalism: based on ensuring more freedom based on capacity for reason

     d. historical conservatism==the limits of human reason based upon human nature.

 quote:  The effect of  liberty to individuals is that they may do what they please; we ought to see what it will please them to do, before we risk congratulations which may be soon turned into complaints.

        1. humans have capacity for reason, also driven by passions
        2. human weakness: sin and self-delusion
        3. development of personal character most important to ensure good decisions
        4. strong institutions (family, church)
            a. help develop character, good habits
            b. ex. exercise, class attendance

5. importance of culture and proper values
            a. reinforce family and church institutional messages
            b. reflect the best wisdom of past generations
            c. must be passed to later generations

6. importance of traditions
          a. stood the test of time
          b. only change if absolutely necessary
             1. only tiny changes, if at all
             2. impact of unintended consequences
             3. ex. electoral college

  7. classical liberalism, w.s.lib.  focuses on individual & rights
    a. hist. conservatism== national community
     1. individuals only exist as part of a whole
     2. get their identity from group membership
     3. community comes before the individual
     4. nothing exists in the abstract

 8.c.l. splits society into parts to limit govt power
     a. H.C. : society is an organic whole
     b. everything reinforces everything else naturally
     c. every part serves a purpose to the whole

 9. family is the basic institution
   a. model for structure of society
   b. family has natural inequality
     1. father is head,
     2. mother assists the father
     3. kids need to be obedient to them
     4. those w/ more responsibilities, deserve more privileges & compensations.

c.analogy of the entire society
     1. monarch is head
     2. nobility (natural aristocracy)
     3.middle class
     4. working class

d. natural harmony between all of the parts
     1. no conflict between groups
     2. all part of same community
     3. everyone accepts unequal division of resources

e. church and state reinforce each other
    1. no artificial separation of church & state
    2. patriotism reinforced by religious faith

 f. what makes society work in spite of inequality
    1. "spirit of chivalry"-- more powerful look out for more vulnerable
    2. "spirit of religion"--all morally equal, charity
      a. volunteerism
     b. moral obligation to others
     c. all part of same society

g. all stabilizing institutions were swept away in France
     1. fabric of society gone
     2.radical changes based on human design
     3. French lost more than they gained
       a. unintended consequences
       b. limits of human reason alone shown

10. Different conception of Values than c.l.
   a. positive freedom: get to be part of great community with great traditions
     1. no negative liberty
     2. community before individual

 b. natural inequality in society
     1. ppl do what suited to do
     2. compensated accordingly
     3. moral equality==all have souls

 c. justice: rewarding ppl according to their standing
     1. voluntary distribution to less fortunate
     2. motivated by spirit of religion

  d. community: same as society
     1. most important value
     2. must be preserved as repository of culture and traditions
     3. analogy of family

11. Alexis DeTocqueville---reactions to the United States
a. “Democracy in America” 1826
    1. too much individualism
       a.lack of concern for community
       b. Americans compensated by joining groups
  
  2. too much equality in the US
        a. causes real problems
        b. too much expectation of success
 
  3. result would be "tyranny of mediocrity"
       a. truly excellent individual would be suppressed
       b. no acknowledgment of natural aristocracy
       c. calculus example

 4. how Americans choose political leaders
       a. depend too much on masses
        b. no truly excellent leaders
          1. not wisest, but most popular
          2. political campaigns reflect this
  5. best society is one led by natural aristocrats
     a. public must acknowledge personal limitations
     b. recognize the excellent and reward them
     c. less involvement by common people in government