Classical Conservatism

"It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty."

John Adams

Classical Conservatism, also called Traditionalist Conservatism, is a type of conservative that focuses on traditions stemming from before the Enlightenment. ClassCons emphasize the need for the principles of a transcendent moral order, the bonds of social order, and the defense of ancestral institutions over what they consider as excessive individualism.

It is a classically right-wing ideology in that it tends to be elite and focus on issues of state rather than social issues. However, it does have both elite and populist factions and can be comment on resisting social change like its more progressively socially right-wing cousin social conservatism. In the economic form, classical conservative economics is all about keeping order and ensuring the wealth of a given nation through a tightly controlled economy.

History

Classical Conservatism, or rather Toryism can be said to originate in late 17th-century England, in which there was a dispute over the right of the Catholic James, brother of King Charles II, to succeed the throne. Those who supported James were known as Tories, and their ideology Toryism. Tories were generally staunch monarchists and Anglicans, and favoured agrarianism over industrialism, in addition to being opposed to radical reform such as that advocated for by Foxites.

France

François-René de Chateaubriand

François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand (4 September 1768 – 4 July 1848) was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian who influenced French literature of the nineteenth century. Descended from an old aristocratic family from Brittany, Chateaubriand was a royalist by political disposition. After the Revolution began, he returned to France and joined Royalist army. His military career came to an end after he was wounded in Siege of Thionville. He was taken to Jersey and then to London. During his time in Britain, he started to examine the Revolution. This resulted in him writing "Essai sur les Révolutions". Year 1798 was turning point of his live as he converted back to Catholicism.

During amnesty introduced by French Consulate, Chateaubriand returned from exile. In 1802, he authored the "Génie du christianisme" (The Genius of Christianity) - an apologia in defense of the Catholic faith. Said book contributed to post-revolutionary religious revival. He took governmental positions during Bonaparte's regime. However, he resigned after Napoleon ordered execution of Louis XVI's cousin. Later, Chateaubriand travelled to Greece, Ottoman Empire, Egypt and Spain. As soon as he returned to France, he criticized Napoleon comparing him to Nero.

After the Bourbon Restoration, Chateaubriand became one of key figures in politics as well as literature. During Hundred Days, he stayed on Bourbons' side and then became ambassador to Sweden. After Napoleon's final defeat, Chateaubriand became state minister. Later he lost his function and joined Ultra-royalists. He stayed loyal to Charles X. Yet, he later softened his positions and moved towards more liberal views. His political career ended after he refused to swear allegiance to July Monarchy.

Chateaubriand died in Paris on 4 July 1848.

Poland

Feliks Koneczny

• Feliks Koneczny was Polish historian, theatrical critic, journalist and librarian. He mostly known for his theory of civilizations. Koneczny was part of National Democracy movement, with his writings influencing not only it but whole Polish conservatism.

Koneczny 's theory is a pluralistic one, differing many civilizations but denying possibility of existence of any all-human. Among civilizations he described were four ancient ones ( Brahmin, Jewish, Turanian and Chinese) and three medieval ones ( Arab, Latin and Byzantine). This theory gave beginning to concept of German Byzantinism. This was possible due to Koneczny's view of civilization being cultural concept, not a racial or ethnic one - thus Poland as a whole was classified as part of Latin Civilization, while Piłsudski's regime, according to Koneczny, represented Turanian civilization. Within one civilization there can be multiple cultures, as culture is subdivision within a civilization.

According to Koneczny there are few rules appealing to civilizations:

• Mixtures of civilizations disappear due to lack of cohesiveness.
• One cannot be civilized by two ways (e.g. a Pole cannot belong to Latin and Jewish civilization at the same time)
• Two civilizations bordering each other will necessarily fight each other.
• Every civilization desires to civilize its neighbours according its own way.
• With equality and lack of fighting the inferior one wins.

Central element of Koneczny's theory is Quincunx concept. It describes five civilization-creating categories, namely: the Good, Truth, Beauty, Prosperity and Health. He tried to find categories existing through whole history of humanity as well as connecting spiritual and material spheres. Good and Truth belong to spiritual sphere, Health and Prosperity are part of material sphere, while Beauty connects both of spheres.

Feliks Koneczny died on 10 February 1949 in Warsaw.

Adam Wielomski

• Adam Wielomski is Polish publicist and journalist. He's also a professor at the University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce. Wielomski leads Conservative-Monarchist Club - a right-wing and counterrevolutionary lobby group.

Adam Wielomski was active in politics, joining Christian-National Union. In 2001 he ran for Sejm from Law and Justice list. Then, he joined Real Politics Union and took part in 2004 European election. Wielomski then left the party and ten years later he officially voiced his support for Congress of New Right. In 2018, he was present at National Movement's congress.

Politically, Wielomski is a monarchist but doubts if the monarchy can be restored so he prefers dictatorship similar to that of Franco or Pinochet. He also rejects legacy of Revolution in France and sees himself as follower Joseph de Maistre and Louis de Bonald. Wielomski is a Catholic Traditionalist and supporter of Natural Law Theory. He's also opposed to European Union, globalism and transhumanism. Until 2022 he often spoke positively about Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine

Vyacheslav Lypynsky

• Vyacheslav Lypynsky was Ukrainian historian and political activist. During Second Hetmanate he served as Ambassador to Austria. Lypynsky was also leader of Ukrainian Democratic–Agrarian Party.

He was born in Volhynia and studied at Jagiellonian University in Kraków. During First World War, he served as an officer in Russian Army. Lypynsky quickly joined Pavlo Skoropadskyi's monarchist movement. After fall of Ukrainian State and the Directorate took power. Even though he was critical of new government, Lypynsky remained Ambassador to Austria. After the fall of Ukraine, he lived abroad in Vienna and Berlin. Vyacheslav Lypynsky died in Pernitz in 1931.

Lypynsky's ideas were monarchist and national-conservative, opposing socialism and populism. In his opinion Ukrainian struggle for independence should be centred around aristocracy, peasantry and the elite. Lypynsky wanted to convince Polonized and Russified nobility for Ukrainian cause - he saw loyalty to Ukrainian state as being more important than ethnic background. Besides socialists Lypynsky's beliefs were also opposed by Dmytro Dontsov.

United States

Main Article: Hamiltonianism & Paleoconservatism

American Whig Party

• Whig Party was political party in United States. One of two major parties in 19th century. Whigs were ideological successors to Hamilton's Federalist Party.

The Whig Party in the United States first emerged in the 1830s in opposition to Andrew Jackson's Democratic Party. The name Whig was intentionally chosen as being in opposition to monarchy. In the same way that the British Whigs opposed absolute monarchy, the American Whigs opposed "King Andrew" and his policies. Unlike the British Whigs whose main ideology is Classical Liberalism, the American Whigs were much more conservative. They supported an economic system put forward by Henry Clay known as the "American System" which favored protective tariffs, a strong national bank, and federal subsidies for infrastructure. The Whig Party was also critical of Manifest Destiny and criticized the presidential power of Jackson and Polk, preferring Congress to be the dominant lawmaker. Democrats glorified individualism while Whigs said it was a dangerous impulse that must be subordinated to the greater good of an organic society; they called for individuals to restrain themselves and focus on doing their duty.

The Whig Party struggled to gain power through the presidency. In 1836 they ran four different presidential candidates against Martin Van Buren, which backfired against them and allowed Van Buren to achieve a comfortable victory. By 1840 Van Buren had become unpopular due to the Panic of 1837 and William Henry Harrison was able to defeat Van Buren in the Election of 1840. Harrison died just one month into his presidency and John Tyler, who was only nominally a Whig, took over as the next president. Tyler was eventually expelled from the Whig Party for disagreeing with much of the Whigs' economic policy, including a veto on Clay's bill to establish a national bank.

The Whigs were able to win back the White House in 1848 with Zachary Taylor, however, he died one year into his presidency leaving Millard Fillmore in charge. Fillmore is often described as being the closest the Whigs got to a full presidency. During Fillmore's presidency, the Compromise of 1850 was passed which meant Fillmore had to enforce the deeply unpopular Fugitive Slave Act. This divided the Whig Party between pro-compromise and anti-compromise factions which they were never able to recover.

After 1852 the Whig Party was never able to obtain real power again and was eventually replaced by the pro-abolitionist Republican Party with many Republicans such as Abraham Lincoln, Rutherford Hayes, Chester Arthur, and Benjamin Harrison all being former Whigs.

Variants

Classical National Conservatism

Classical National Conservatism is a nationalist modern variant of classical conservatism that promotes a more national security-centered and a social system building with paternalistic conservatism and national culture preservation than its original version. It is more focused on certain forms of protectionism and government interference in the economic sphere.

Example of National Classical Conservatism could be Christian Social Party with its emphasis on Austrian identity and opposition to pan-Germanic ambitions of German Reich. In United Kingdom Classical National Conservatism is represented by figures such as Enoch Powell and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

High Toryism

High Toryism is British variant of, often aristocratic, traditional conservatism. Historically, High Toryism was legitimist branch of conservatism, supportive of Jacobitism. High Toryism is characterized by support for Agrarianism, gentlemanly virtues and opposition to egalitarianism.

Economically, High Toryism is protectionist and sees Tory corporatism as alternative to Neoliberalism and Neoconservatism. Although historically anti-Catholic, contemporary High Toryism is often associated with Anglo-Catholicism or Traditionalist Catholicism .

Traditionalist Conservatism

Traditionalist Conservatism is like modern conservatism in many ways, such as acceptance of a basic welfare state and support for free market policies and nationhood. However they tend to have more radical views on social issues, such as LGBT and women's rights, being seen as the radical wing of modern conservative parties occupying similar roles to Addington did to Pitt. Traditionalist Conservatives are nearly entirely extremely religious, more often than not the dominant religion of their home country, and are strongly against moderation and acceptance of social consensuses such as the gay rights (which are now, in Europe, considered centrist) and abortion (similar, in Europe alone) historically they would've opposed women's suffrage too but they have accepted that that is going to stay. If they are active within a monarchy they can be strong defenders of the monarchy as well as being able to work with Paternalistic Conservatism and Conservative Liberalism in order to advance their own goals of tradition, morality and faith.

Personality and Behaviour

• Usually a very posh British accent (most likely Received Pronunciation). Often speaks with a Mid-Atlantic accent in the United States.
• Stereotypical "proper person".
• Uses vintage sophisticated vernacular, such as: "bogus," "to be frank," and "poppycock".
• "Why don't you go and make me a sammich?"
• Fetishizes Romanticist art and bashes everything that's modern.
• May act like Pops from Regular Show.

How to Draw

Plain design

1. Draw a ball
2. Fill it in with navy blue
3. Draw a black or dark grey top hat on the ball
4. Add the eyes
5. Give the ball a golden monocle over its right eye

You are finished!

Color Name		HEX	RGB
	Navy Blue	#00309A	rgb(0, 48, 154)
	Black	#141414	rgb(20, 20, 20)
	White	#FFFFFF	rgb(255, 255, 255)

Traditionalist design

Flag of Traditionalist Conservatism

1. Draw a ball
2. Color it light blue
3. Draw a white hourglass in the middle
4. Draw the two eyes
5. Add a top hat and golden monocle on the ball
6. (Optional) Draw the ball holding a cup of tea

You are done!

Color Name		HEX	RGB
	Light Blue	#0183BE	rgb(1, 131, 190)
	White	#FFFFFF	rgb(255, 255, 255)

Relationships

Chaps

• Constitutional Monarchism - For King/Queen and Country!
• Traditionalism - Fellow T R A D I T I O N^TM connoisseur.
• Imperialism - Rule Britannia! Britannia rule the waves! Britons never, never, never shall be slaves! However the Whigs in America opposed Manifest Destiny and all of that.
• Counter-Enlightenment - Cheers! Just don't do anything barbaric, we are supposed to be gentlemen, after all.
• Mercantilism - I say, would you care for some tea, good sir?
• Christian Theocracy - Religion is the only thing separating us from animals, and by Jove, we must defend our established church.
• Paleoconservatism - My Yankee grandson who defends traditional values; does not critique the enlightenment enough, unfortunately. Russell Kirk was rather wonderful.
• Hamiltonianism - And my Yankee son. While you may be liberal at times and are not as well loyal as the loyalists you should have been the direction of the US instead of Jefferson. And you also wanted to be friendly with Britain.
• Agrarianism - But of course, a return to a simple, traditional life.
• Conservatism - I am willing to admit that you do not go far enough, but I am proud of you nevertheless, ol' chap!
• Reactionary Socialism - Many of your followers were well-versed in my ways.
• Paternalistic Conservatism - Disraeli was a splendid Prime Minister, indeed!
• One-Nation Conservatism - Same as previously.
• Bojoism - Splendid chap of mine. I thank you for delivering us Britons Brexit and for placing me at the helm of the House of Commons. You are too moderate.
• Eco-Conservatism - Splendid! We must protect our environment to preserve our culture, We both like Roger Scruton!
• Distributism - Defends me greatly, as we both desire a traditional lifestyle.
• Communitarianism - Jolly good show! Strong communities make strong societies.
• Optimateism - Defender of the Roman Republic's customs and rule of law. However, it was rather rude of you to stab Caesar like that good sir.
• Patriarchy - Very fine chap! Just how society should be run!
• Carlism - My more religious Spaniard counterpart.
• Feuillantism - Most respectable French Revolutionary ideology.
• Stratocracy - When done by me this is splendid, but any others who practice this are heathens!
• Neoreactionaryism and Reactionary Modernism - Intelligent men, who like to visit and support me.

Tolerable

• Absolute Monarchism - The Ancien Régime of France was superior to any of the revolutionary governments, yet it paved the road for the Revolution in the first place through persistent attempts of centralization as well as meddling in the American rebellion. Besides, Britain itself was nearly ruined in the past by absolutist tendencies.
• Conservative Socialism - Socialism? I beg your pardon.
• Ricardian Socialism - Percy Ravenstone was a delightful fellow; however, I must say you are far too well-acquainted with this preposterous notion of "egalitarianism."
• National Liberalism - Kippers are "based" as the young fellows say nowadays, but the rest of them are too nationalist and not traditionalist enough, to my dismay.
• Reactionary Liberalism - Another tolerable liberal, if I may say so myself, but like those other reactionary blokes, he may tread too far culturally. Rees-Mogg is very splendid however.
• Conservative Liberalism - My liberal child whom I hold in somewhat high regard! Maintains most of my values whilst being a reformer. Burke was particularly admirable.
• National Conservatism - Marvelous, but if you will, please simmer down with the nationalism; Enoch Powell was quite a martyr if I do say so myself.
• Liberal Conservatism - Low Tory rubbish, but I have hope that they will prove me wrong.
• Authoritarian Conservatism - Your positions on culture are most laudable, and we concur on opinions towards the Colonist rebels. Yet your heavy-handedness and, if I may be forgiven, occasional expression of approval towards dethroning insufficiently conservative monarchs and even regicide unsettle me greatly.
• Reactionaryism - You are quite extreme, simmer down and grab a spot of tea.
• Capitalism - You cause severe issues when unregulated, still preferable to socialism but I myself prefer traditional systems of economics.
• Right-Wing Populism - Good Lord, they are annoying... but I do say they have the right ideas.
• Alt-Lite - Young fellows valuing tradition is most splendid but please do go outside.
• Mosleyism - We agree on many things and you do admire me. But why on Earth must you admire those Huns!
• White Nationalism - We agree that the Anglo-Saxon British race is the most civilized race in the history of the world. But you do make me look bad these days, and what do you mean that other races can never be civilized?
• Islamic Theocracy - I wish that you did not migrate en masse to my country, but Hamza Yusuf is a good chap of mine.
  • Than why did, you, Anglo imperialist, add us to your country with all your invasions and annexation?

• Conservative Feminism - We do respect the ladies... so long as they acknowledge their proper place and do not rebel, of course.

Adversaries

• Enlightenment Thought - Bugger off, you have brought degeneracy to our blessed land!
• Classical Liberalism - Started this degeneracy.
• Liberalism - Bloody hell, what an utter buffoon!
• Radicalism - Sort yourself out, young man! This is NOT how society shall be run!
  • C'mon, that's so uncool. Why shouldn't we run society this way?

• Civic Nationalism - Revolutions of 1848, NEVER FORGET! You nationalist scums opposed our glorious conservative monarchies!
• Progressivism - Good Lord! That is rather disgusting!
• Revolutionary Progressivism - Good heavens! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?!
• Feminism - Sod off and get back in the kitchen. Make some pudding, would you?
• Anarchism - Claims to "support anarchism but not anarchy", but I'm not buying that rubbish.
• Queer Anarchism - Language, young lady, or man, or... whatever the bloody hell you are!
• Homoconservatism - Why, this is completely nonsensical!
• Hydrarchy - Absolutely vile! You and your band of thieves will never rule the waves! you used to be excellent privateers
• Jacobinism - The Fr*nch Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the Western world!
• Socialism - Are you taking the piss out of me?
• Marxism–Leninism - The destroyer of all tradition! Never will you come to the United Kingdom of Great Britain!
• Frankfurt School - No, you degenerate Cultural Marxist, the enlightenment did not lead to "totalitarianism", or whatever ideology that you so happen to speak of. It leads to the formation of degenerates like you. Speak for yourself, you hypocrite! You have just started a second enlightenment with your despicable ideas.
• Nazism - You sir, are not a conservative, and you will never be as dominant in the world as I had been, so keep on dreaming, you cock-up!! Also how dare you bomb my great nation you barbaric Hun!
• Jihadism - It would be very wise of you to leave my country, you barbarians!
• Hindutva - Oh lord, you barbaric pagans must stop with this idiocy! Britain civilized India!
• Gamers - Right! Stop playing those motion picture games and browsing the interwebs at once! They will rot your brains! What? Victoria? I should give that a try perhaps...
• Corbynism - Silence! I will put soap in your mouth for your utterly disgraceful speeches!

Further Information

Videos

• Does Classical Conservatism Even Still Exist? by David Pakman

Literature

• Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke
• An Appeal from the New Whigs to the Old Whigs by Edmund Burke
• Essay on the Generative Principle of Political Constitutions and other Human Institutions by Joseph de Maistre
• The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk

Wikipedia

• Traditionalist Conservatism
• High Tory
• Tory corporatism
• Cornerstone Group
• London Swinton Circle
• Traditionalist conservatism in the United States
• Conservative Monday Club
• Common Sense Group

Parties

• Amal Movement
• Christian Social Party
• Conservative-Monarchist Club
• Federalist Party
• Islamic Coalition Party
• Legitimists
• National Republican Party
• Our Homeland Movement
• Reclaim Party
• Rodina
• Tories
• Traditionalist Communion
• Whig Party

People

• Edmund Burke
• Thomas Carlyle
• Evelyn Waugh
• Alan Clark
• Enoch Powell
  • Powellism
  • Rivers of Blood speech
• Roger Scruton
• Jacob Rees-Mogg
  • Moggmentum
• Edward Leigh
• John Henry Hayes
• Lawrence Auster

YouTube

• Mogg The Week
• El Picalibro (Spanish)

Gallery

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  British Electoral History Part 1 (1800-1840) by NotRand74
• 
  Original image
• 
  Previous image
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  NatDem compass