Quotessence
Home / Books / Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition

Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition

Book by Roger Scruton · 2 quotes · Conservatism, Society, Civil Society

Filter quotes by topic

AllConservatismSocietyCivil SocietyGovernmentBureaucracyCitizenshipCommunityConservativeCustomsDavid HumeEdmund BurkeFreedomFrench RevolutionHayekLessons Of HistoryLiberalLiberalismLibertyObligationOrder

Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition Quotes

“When society is organised from above, either by the top-down government of a revolutionary dictatorship, or by the impersonal edicts of an inscrutable bureaucracy, then accountability rapidly disappears from the political order, and from society, too. Top-down government breeds irresponsible individuals, and the confiscation of civil society by the state leads to a widespread refusal among the citizens to act for themselves.”

GovernmentSocietyBureaucracyCivil SocietyPolitical Order
Book:Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition
Create image

“Civil society is, indeed, composed of individuals, acting freely.... But freedom entails responsibility, founded in the sentiments of sympathy that make us strive to look on our own and others' conduct from the standpoint of the impartial judge. The institutions of law and government exist in order to assign responsibilities and to ensure that they are not evaded or abused. Of course, this is something that liberals [(i.e. classical liberal)] too will acknowledge. But the difference of emphasis is crucial to the conservative position. Conservatism is about freedom, yes. But it is also about the institutions and attitudes that shape the responsible citizen, and ensure that freedom is a benefit to us all. Conservatism is therefore also about the limits to freedom.”

GovernmentFreedomResponsibilityConservativeLiberalismCitizenshipConservatismCivil SocietyLiberal
Book:Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition
Create image