Burke & Anglo-American Conservatism
Yoram Hazony
Hertog Foundation | 2018
During this week, students will explore the Anglo-American conservative political tradition through the writings of Edmund Burke (1729–1797). Like classical liberalism, this tradition favors limited government, property rights, and individual liberty. But unlike classical liberalism, it is empiricist and regards successful political arrangements as developing through an unceasing process of trial and error. As such, it is deeply skeptical of claims about universal political truths, and provides support for traditional institutions such as the biblical religion, the family, and the national state.
Students will consider the historical and philosophical differences between these two major political traditions, conservative and liberal. They will explore the emergence of Anglo-American conservatism and its conflict with liberalism, as a basis for drawing political distinctions that are highly relevant for our own political context.
“The Polling” by William Hogarth via WikiCommons
