Is Conservatism the next step in the natural evolution of political thought?

Question

It seems that conservatism is the logical progression of political thought in educated societies.

A society may begin with authoritarian goverment offering handouts to peasants for their support, but as the society becomes more productive and more educated, individual responsibility and less government intervention result.

Generally speaking, most young, naive, lazy, uneducated people are overwhelmingly liberal. As these folks age and have families, they tend to lean more conservative. They realize that government can not and will not be the answer to all of life's questions. Hard work and personal responsibility are much more rewarding than whining, begging, and being envious of those who have more "things" than them. Thoughts?

Answer 1

First of all, generalizing in a debate will seldom win you any points. I am neither young, naive, lazy, nor uneducated; nor would I imagine any of the 51 Democratic Senators and ~200 Democratic Representatives in the house consider themselves as such.

Furthermore, conservatism tends to get stronger with either the weaker-thinking people or the greedy (some might consider that redundant), since advancements in technology and in the social norms tend to overwhelm the older generation and give them a hankering for the "good ole days".

If you look back through history without your blinders, you will recognize that several advancements (evolution) in our social contracts have been brought about by progressive, liberal groups: suffrage, ending slavery, civil rights, and the list goes on.

Last but not least, the current conservative movement actually seeks more authoritarianism from our government: Patriot Act, wire tapping, suspension of habeas corpus, the "with us or against us" and "we won't negotiate with anyone who doesn't agree with us" attitudes, NSA.

I think you are way off with this rant.

To answer your question, it may be some people's natural progression, but it in no way represents an evolution of political thought. In fact, one could actually consider it a devolution.

Answer 2

"Generally speaking, most young, naive, lazy, uneducated people are overwhelmingly liberal. "

This is an excellent example of a weak argument. It's called begging the question and it renders the rest of your argument invalid. Frankly, I can't imagine an educated person making such a naive mistake.

I guess, following your argument, you must be uneducated. Are you really under the impression that liberal democracies are authoritarian in any way?

I'm well educated, extremely hard working, and my income is in the top 1 percent of American salaries. While I don't think that the Fox News definitions of liberal and conservative are remotely accurate, if Dick Cheney or Don Rumsfeld are conservatives, I'll pass.

Answer 3

Conservative and liberal are relative to each other. But conservatives today are much more liberal than they were 50 years ago. The trend you're talking about is opposite, intergenerationally speaking. So the answer to your question is no.

INTRAgenerationally speaking, there are a lot of reasons that people become conservative as they become older. Having so many payments to strap you down means you become dependent on the status quo to maintain the way you live, to maintain your car, to help your kids through college.

There's no secret about the shortcomings of far left liberalism and far right conservatism. Educated people are not conservative. Educated people remain moderate and eventually abandon their passionate opinions in favor of a more relaxed, observant, tolerant attitude, and speak in informed ways (rather than with bitchy polemics and sweeping generalizations [i.e. your post]) about people who stand on different sides of the issues.

Answer 4

organic organic and organic Evolution has no "next step"; it don't have a route or an purpose of the position it needs to bypass - it basically randomly mutates till some thing takes position this is better efficient equipped to live to tell the tale. Now in case you propose evolution in a better regular experience i might want to ought to assert the subsequent step is already in progression: the progression of machines that imagine and may do some thing those organic and organic bodies do - in basic terms better efficient and with better resiliancy. the subsequent step in our evolution is spelled out obviously in Kurzweil's "The Singularity is close to". examine it.

Answer 5

Evolution is a lie that destroys the mind and soul, just as liberalism does. The logical next step is to do away with our government all together, and start over, or just forget it all together and let the individual states run things as the people in the states wish.

Answer 6

Not hardly--in fact, the basic statment is nonsense--"conservatism" refers not to progressive ideas and to change, but to maintaining old ways and ideas.

And--conservatism today is not supportive of freedom and individual rights--but of authoritarian government. Witness the efforts of "conservatives" to suspend civil rights under the 4th ammmendent, to control personal behavior, etc.

Conservatism--today (that is, the so called "neoconservatives") are not for progress, but for turning the clock back to the days of kings and arbitrary power destructive of individual lberty. Their entire agenda is fundamentally anti-American and unpatriotic. They have no place in the future of American society. They are nothing but a reversion to more uncivilized and tyrannical times--and should be relegated tothe dustbin of history where they belong.

Answer 7

I thought conservatives didn't believe in Evolution?

Answer 8

Conservatism means GREED, selfishness and oppression of minorities.

Answer 9

I agree about the whining and begging but steve simmons has it right.