Scruton

Question 1

What is conservatism?

Answer 1

The preservation of the social ecology to maintain peaceful cooperation.

Question 2

What is the benefits of conservatism?

Answer 2

It preserves what has been proven to work, and doesn’t risk everything on untested theories. It preserves the contract among generations.

Question 3

What are the three basic systems for uniting large groups of people for social cooperation?

Answer 3

Tribal: shared blood
Creedal: shared faith
Nation State: shared home and institutions

Question 4

Which system has worked?

Answer 4

Only the nation state has succeeded in holding together diverse populations in democratic cooperation.

Question 5

What binds the nation state together?

Answer 5

nation states are bound together by a sense of we and a sense of home. This allows for a reciprocal sacrifice and also for mutual accountability between people and government.

Question 6

What threats face the democratic nation-state today?

Answer 6

1. globalization of business and government
2. Oikophobia: loss of patriotism
3. ungrateful, unassimilated immigrants
4. disordered emotions
   4a. excessive appetite and consumption - leads to meat quality issues
   4b. resentment (misplaced blame for failure or inequality) - not a lot of room for legit resentment

Question 7

How do you preserve the social equality?

Answer 7

1. remoralize individual and collective behavior
2. restore national sovereignty
3. eat more beef