My Definition of Conservatism

Not All Conservatives Are the Same

I believe that individual liberty is paramount to a thriving society. Both in terms of speech and in freedom to pursue happiness. I believe in the non-aggression principle as a universal value. I believe that freedom of speech must always be paired with freedom of association.

I believe that conservatism is not about resisting progress but about progressing carefully by leveraging skepticism, reason, and evidence to evaluate change before acting while preserving that which has proven to have a positive influence through the test of time. 

I believe in freedom of the market and free trade. Particularly the role of those systems in the eruption of individual wealth, health, and happiness since their inception.

I believe in the freedom of agency and the value of free entities being able to enter into a mutually beneficial contract. I do not believe the government has any business meddling with the free market through concepts such as regulation, licensing, and subsidy, which only breed corruption. I believe in the invisible hand and how it is the purest form of democracy that has ever existed. 

I believe in the value of community/family and how societies that place high value in these concepts tend to trend towards less suffering with a better outcome for a greater number of people. 

I believe in individual responsibility and that others should not be made responsible for poor decisions made by peers. I also believe all individuals should be treated with decency, but respect should always be earned.

I believe in equality of opportunity, both economically and legally. I do not believe we can legislate equality of outcome without radically inhibiting freedom. I believe there is nobility in not taking, just as there is nobility in giving. I do not believe there is any nobility or morality in allowing an authority to force one to give to another.

I do not believe that conservatism requires a component of blind faith or religiosity.

I believe that almost all humans are fundamentally good and that they generally want to do good but accept that humans can often let themselves be corrupted or misaligned, often out of ignorance, fear, or anger which is the route evil takes to grab hold.