How to be a Conservative Summary

What does it mean to conserve? It means holding on to the things that you love, the things that define your identity, and the things that provide meaning to your life.

1. Becoming Conservative: A Journey of Response

Roger Scruton’s path to conservatism was shaped by his experiences of societal upheaval in the twentieth century. Growing up in a Labour-voting, working-class family in Manchester, Scruton imbibed his father’s socialist values but also his deep love for England’s countryside and traditions. This early contradiction sowed the seeds of Scruton’s future conservatism, where preserving the past held greater appeal than pursuing destructive change.

Scruton’s conservatism intensified when, in 1968, he witnessed Parisian student protests that, in his view, attacked the very societal structures enabling their privileged lives. These protests represented, to Scruton, the excesses of leftist ideology devoid of practical judgment. Later, Margaret Thatcher’s leadership in Britain reinvigorated Scruton’s belief in individual responsibility and free markets, restoring confidence to a nation gripped by economic decline and ideological self-loathing.

Another turning point was Scruton’s visit to Communist Czechoslovakia in 1979, where intellectuals and cultural figures were silenced and pushed into menial labor under an oppressive regime. This encounter cemented his belief in conserving freedoms that allow individuals to flourish.

Examples

• Scruton’s father’s campaign against suburban sprawl, reflecting a desire to preserve traditional English landscapes.
• Witnessing Paris’s May 1968 riots revealed left-wing destructive impulses to Scruton.
• Encountering suppressed intellectuals in Communist states underscored the cost of authoritarian governance.

2. Building Society From the Ground Up

Conservatives, Scruton argues, focus on society as an organic structure, built from relationships, traditions, and shared understandings originating at the grassroots level. By contrast, imposing systems from the top down, whether by revolutionary socialists or radical free-market thinkers, leads to chaos and disconnected communities.

Scruton draws from Edmund Burke, who lamented the French Revolution’s wholesale dismantling of societal traditions. These upheavals, Burke argued, ignored the fundamental bonds—friendship, family, and communities—that keep societies intact. Top-down designs, no matter how logical they seem, cannot recreate these natural bonds.

In examples from history, societies torn apart by overarching ideologies, such as former Communist nations, failed to build lasting harmony once those systems collapsed. What endured, Scruton asserts, were small civic institutions like local clubs, families, and churches.

Examples

• Burke’s critique of the French Revolution’s destruction of tradition.
• The collapse of Eastern Bloc regimes left grassroots social structures to rebuild society.
• Local clubs and small communities offer cohesion that bureaucratic systems cannot replicate.

3. Freedom Comes From Inclusion, Not Exclusion

Conservatives seek to enhance opportunity by expanding access, not by dismantling institutions. Scruton highlights how some leftist policies aim to eliminate what they see as unfair privilege—like private schools—without sufficiently considering the alternatives or consequences of such actions.

For Scruton, institutions like private schools or clubs offer expertise, resources, and tradition. Instead of outlawing these, conservatives advocate leveling the playing field by creating pathways for broader participation. For example, offering scholarships to talented students from low-income backgrounds can provide opportunities without eroding institutions’ positive contributions.

This principle applies broadly to any societal structures that create connections and confer opportunities. Destroying institutions removes their benefits altogether, while inclusion leverages those benefits for more people.

Examples

• Offering bursaries in private schools rather than banning them outright.
• Opening professional associations to wider participation while maintaining high standards.
• Governing social clubs and civic institutions in ways that balance access with tradition.

4. The Nation-State as a Unifying Bond

Scruton distinguishes between destructive nationalism and a nurturing sense of shared belonging to a nation-state. The latter helps individuals form cohesive communities while embracing diversity. This shared home, Scruton asserts, is essential for coexistence among people of differing views, religions, and cultures.

He likens the nation-state to a family where members may disagree yet remain bonded by a shared identity. This collective "we" is an inclusive foundation, distinct from narrower ethnic or religious identities. It allows societies to negotiate differences peacefully and maintain social order.

The danger of dismissing the nation-state is apparent in fractured societies left without unifying structures. A shared national identity creates common ground for diverse individuals to find harmony.

Examples

• Families working through disputes to maintain unity mirror how a nation-state fosters togetherness.
• America’s "melting pot" demonstrates that shared civic identity supersedes ethnic divisions.
• Post-war democracies in Europe reconstructed unity by emphasizing secular nation-state identities.

5. The Power and Limits of the Free Market

Scruton defends the free market as the best mechanism for distributing resources and facilitating economic activity, emphasizing the price mechanism’s ability to balance supply and demand. However, he also warns that an unchecked free market can destabilize societies, highlighting the need for legal and moral frameworks.

The Soviet Union’s failed command economy illustrates the shortcomings of centralized control, where state-set prices disconnected production from public needs, leading to shortages and economic stagnation. Conversely, free markets enable dynamism by empowering individuals to respond to consumer demands.

Nonetheless, crises like the 2008 financial meltdown expose the risks of reckless behavior when there’s no accountability. Scruton argues that free-market success hinges on supplementary values such as responsibility and justice.

Examples

• The Soviet Union’s queues and empty shelves contrasted with capitalist abundance.
• The subprime mortgage crisis resulted from businesses avoiding the consequences of risky actions.
• Legal frameworks compelling financial responsibility ensure market efficiency and fairness.

6. Traditional Rights Versus Modern Demands

Historically, rights centered on guaranteeing individual liberty and protecting freedom from coercion. Today, Scruton observes, human rights discourse often demands entitlements, causing friction with this older understanding.

Drawing on John Locke’s liberalism, Scruton values rights that preserve personal sovereignty, such as freedom of speech and property. By contrast, modern “human rights” sometimes oblige governments to provide benefits like leisure or happiness, which Scruton regards as unrealistic claims.

These contemporary claims can clash with societal stability, as legal decisions favoring individual entitlements often override communal agreements. For Scruton, rights must primarily safeguard liberty rather than foster dependency.

Examples

• Locke’s concept of liberty protected individuals from government interference.
• The European Convention’s “right to family life” can complicate legal cases unjustly.
• Misuse of human rights claims can undermine public interest.

7. The Value of Enlightenment Traditions

Western multiculturalism thrives because of the Enlightenment’s intellectual legacy: principles of reason, secularism, and personal freedom. Scruton credits these traditions as the glue that binds Western societies, allowing diverse populations to coexist peacefully.

However, he critiques modern tendencies to demean Western traditions, arguing that dismissing foundational values risks undermining societal cohesion. Enlightenment ideals provide an inclusive framework that avoids divisive, exclusionary identities.

For conservatives, defending these shared values ensures the survival of a multicultural society anchored in freedom and fairness for all.

Examples

• America’s strength lies in its Enlightenment-inspired constitution.
• Secularism fosters peaceful coexistence in diverse Western cities.
• Attacks on reason and objectivity erode societal foundations.

8. A Conservative’s View on Progress

To Scruton, true progress involves conserving what works while reforming what doesn’t. Blindly chasing change often leads to unintended consequences, as revolutions or sweeping reforms disrupt essential societal structures.

Small, incremental changes at the community level, informed by lived experience and local traditions, better address societal challenges. Scruton argues for balancing innovation with wisdom drawn from history.

Preservation isn’t resistance to improvement—the conservative mindset values thoughtful adaptability without abandoning rooted principles.

Examples

• Healthcare reforms preserving functional local care while expanding accessibility.
• Educational updates incorporating new technologies while maintaining rigorous standards.
• Environmental conservation projects blending innovation with respect for traditional ecosystems.

9. Conservatism in Practice: Challenges and Commitments

Scruton urges conservatives to combine idealism with pragmatism. For instance, defending Western values should not mean ignoring injustices, but correcting them without sacrificing freedoms. Similarly, conserving traditions must include the flexibility to accommodate necessary change.

He emphasizes ongoing self-reflection, cautioning against the extremes of ideological inflexibility or reckless policies. A successful conservative movement responsibly balances adaptation and stability.

Conservatism, for Scruton, remains an active duty to society, demanding dedication to preserving its best elements while working toward improvement.

Examples

• Advocating proportional regulations on technology to safeguard privacy without stifling innovation.
• Healing political divisions through shared values rather than polarization.
• Crafting immigration policies acknowledging both civic identity and compassion.

Takeaways

1. Conserve traditions and institutions that enrich society while opening pathways for inclusivity and access.
2. Support societal cohesion by fostering shared identity through the nation-state and Enlightenment values.
3. Advocate for free markets, tempered by accountability and a moral framework, to ensure economic stability.