If conservatism is a project, it is a social project. It provides for social needs and does its work through social means. It meets needs of its adherents, and relies upon them to promote its message and realize its vision.
The essays in this section focus on the conservative message.
“What Conservatism Is” describes what I mean by American conservatism and what I think is essential in it.
“What's an Ideology?” describes how ideologies are different from beliefs. I once thought an ideology was just a set of political beliefs and the arguments that support them. I’ve come to see that an ideology is both less and more than this.
“Conservative Rhetoric” is how we all verbally experience conservatism. The essay is a brief look at what they’ve been saying lately, how they’ve been saying it, and what that means.
“The Claims” contains analyses of some specific claims of American conservatism. My entire project began as a wish to debunk some of the claims that conservatives would have us accept. This was back when I thought ideology had much to do with reason. I’m pretty well-qualified to do that by education, experience, and inclination. I soon came to see many of the claims as transparently thin and trivial to refute, unless one is sufficiently entranced by the ideology. That’s when the project became a look at the ideology. (As an example, imagine a free market as a bandit holding a gun and demanding your wallet. What’s more free than that?) Whatever claims I’ve written up so far are in this section.
Next: What Conservatism Is
© 2021, Ross A. Hangartner