ON STUDYING THE PHILOSOPHY
OF AMERICAN CONSERVATISM.
Маргарита Владимировна Перепелкина (Москва, Россия)
Attention to the study of political ideology and social life of the United States is not accidental. In the twentieth century the United States has become the world's largest country - hegemon, and was determined as the main geopolitical, ideological and strategic enemy. Traditionally, Millennium manifested interests in studying major political and ideological trends - conservatism and liberalism.
We emphasize the important fundamental question: how should conservatism be defined?
In the political dictionary, we find the following definition of conservatism – it is a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically: such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage) [The American Heritage 2000].
As we know the conservatism is a political philosophy that tends to support the status quo and advocates change only in moderation. Conservatism upholds the value of tradition, and seeks to preserve all that is good about the past. The classic statement of conservatism was by the Irishman Edmund Burke, in his Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), in which he attacked the French Revolution. He compared society to a living organism that has taken time to grow and mature, so it should not be violently uprooted. Innovation, when necessary, should be grafted onto the strong stem of traditional institutions and ways of doing things: «it is with infinite caution that any man ought to venture upon pulling down an edifice which has answered in any tolerable degree for ages the common purposes of society» [iAmerican Spirit].
Often in politics conservatism is determined as «reactionary trend, defend the inviolability of the capitalist system and the rule of the exploiting classes, acting against the revolutionary , national liberation and progressive movements in the imperialist foreign policy in the interests of monopolistic capital» [БСЭ: 38].
Conservatism in the United States is an intellectual and theoretical tradition and a popular political movement.
As an intellectual tradition, political conservatism does not necessarily focus on any particular political position or issue. In fact, most conservative traditionalists disagree with one another over a number of issues including (but not limited to) abortion, stem cell research, capital punishment, the environment and war. Nevertheless, these intellectual traditionalists tend to subscribe to the same conservative principles, those being primarily the importance of family, but also a small or limited government, a strong national defense and free enterprise.
As a popular political movement, conservatism is more specific regarding a host of specific political issues that include (among other things) the pro-life movement, judicial restraint, welfare reform, immigration reform and the sanctity of marriage (specifically the opposition to gay marriage).
Conservatism is also an umbrella term that embodies several different types of politically conservative philosophies. These are often primarily identified as neoconservatism, paleo-conservatism and social conservatism, but they also include fiscal conservatism, cultural conseratism and crunchy conservatism [Quinn].
When did the conservatism grow up? Some researchers refer to the fact that the beginnings of conservatism were formed by ancient thinkers - Plato and Aristotle.
In the context of the definition of terminology and philosophical values of conservatism refer to the works of N. Berdyaev. He wrote: «Conservatism supports the connection of times, does not allow the final break in this regard, connects the future with the past. Conservatism has spiritual depth, he turned to the ancient sources of life, it binds associates itself with roots, he believes in the existence of imperishable and indestructible depth» [Бердяев].
Referring to the neo-conservative philosophy of Leo Strauss, it should be noted in his ideas, which focus on Nietzsche’s philosophy [Штраус 2007]. Neoconservatism asserts that «life» as the basis of existence opposed to the «death», and it needs in conservatism likes as guarantor of stability. According to V. Nifontov, this is the absolute value of conservative ideology [Нифонтов]. The tasks that would consist of the fact that the viability of ideology was sustained by all means.
As it seems to us, a detailed study and knowledge of the phenomenon is complicated with some fundamental philosophical problems. American researcher of the Princeton University JV Mueller thinks the same way [Muller 2006].
Firstly, in his opinion , conservatism has no fundamental theoretical work that fully studies this philosophy (of course, we can refer to the works of Edmund Burk, Joseph de Maistre, Louis de Bonald, A. de Tocqueville, J. Adams, K. Mannheim, L. Strauss). Secondly, the definition of conservatism is impossible to unify: depending on the social status and national mentality, this ideology acquires specific incomparable features (proof of this can be considered the words of I. Kristol, the founding- father of the American neoconservatism about the «American grain» inherent conservative relating only to the U.S.). Thirdly, as a result of political, ideological, cultural and social changes, the fundamental principles and ideas have been reconsidered. In the end, attempts to philosophical understanding of the phenomenon of conservative face a number of contradictions and difficulties of principles, without overcoming which the analysis of the current state of neoconservatism is impossible.
However, it is important to note that while analyzing the current position of conservative ideology in the United States, we must take into account the historical development of the state and society: hopes and prospects, successes and failures in the global arena adherents of this policy. This idea is not accidental: the famous historian and political scientist R. Kirk, having published in 1953 a monograph entitled «The Conservative Mind» clearly shows the conservative way of thinking inherent in the American nation [Кирк 1953]. Later, the godfather of the neoconservative ideology I. Kristol confirms the special status of American conservative thought, noting «American grain» of neoconservatism [Kristol 1977].
Such observations allow us to understand the basic installation on the basis of which there is a formation of a new American conservative way of thinking.
Noteworthy is the fact that the conservative development occurs on the basis of the study of social and cultural principles.
Historically, American conservatism is not an integral over strictly regulated functions and principles, but rather a flexible system and a set of different policy areas: social, religious, economic, financial, libertarian and liberal conservatism.
However, it should be said that conservatism in some sense is a kind of situational tradition. Therefore, the essence of conservatism is determined by the conditions of its occurrence and sequence evolution.
Of course, the conservative way of thinking is changing and evolving. Many of the fundamental ideas and principles eventually were adjusted to give some restraint , prudence , and at the same time exploring the historical precedents to create a new basis for the further functioning and development of modern political and ideological trends. Without this historical analysis it is impossible to create a viable and «appropriate» political structure.
What would be named a true conservatism, it is not enough to use theoretical data and ready-made formulas. To do this we need to develop «the conservative mind» [Kristol 1977: 6-13.].
As we mentioned earlier, the conservative ideology has a national feature. Definitely, for the United States this national identity is enshrined in a number of basic documents - in the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, the National Platform of the Conservative Party, as well as various kinds of declarations (e.g. Mounth – Vernon Declaration ) [The Carters of Freedom].
There is a difficult delimitation of the main directions of conservatism. Obviously, the differences between these trends are rooted not so much in the original settings, but emphasizing certain aspects of society and the state.
At the moment, the dynamics of political processes in the U.S. shows the beginning of the next political cycle, which is associated with the weakening of the neoconservatism and strengthening of the libertarian conservative forces within the country and in the sphere of international relations.
Undoubtedly, in the foreseeable future conservatism will remains an influential ideological and political trend in the United States. American conservatives are unlikely to revise a strict rules to create international political conditions that guarantee the dominant position of the sole superpower in the context of globalization and the new world order .
Taking into account the logic of the political process in the United States and international realities which exist, we should ask a question: the neocons could control the current situation in the country and abroad, or are there obvious trends in the creating new public intellectual and political discourse based on libertarian conservatism?
Литература:
1. Бердяев Н.А. Философия неравенства. Письмо пятое о консерватизме. Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://www.vehi.net/berdyaev/nera ven /05.html
2. БСЭ. Т. 13.
3. Кирк Р. Консервативное мышление. 1953 г. Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://konservatizm.org/konservatizm/2705120157 01.xhtml
4. Нифонтов В. Тезисы о неоконсерватизме/ Правая. Ru. Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://pravaya.ru/leftright/472/7254
5. Штраус Л. Естественное право и история. М., 2007 Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://traumlibrary.net/b215805.html
6. iAmerican Spirit. Political Dictionary. Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://www.iamericanspirit. com/index.html
7. Kristol I. Looking Back on Neo-Conservatism: Notes and Reflections // The American Spectator. 1977. November.
8. Kristol I. The Neoconservative Persuasion// Weekly Standard, 2003, August 25 Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://www.weekly standard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/000 tzmlw.asp
9. Muller J.-W. Comprehending conservatism: A new framework for analysis // Journal of Political Ideologies. 2006, № 11 Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://www.princeton.edu/~jmueller/JPI-Conservatism-JWMueller.pdf
10. Quinn J. A Definition of Conservatism. Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://usconservatives.about.comod/glossaryterms/g/Conservatism.htm
11. The American Heritage. Dictionary of the English Language. 2000 Электронный ресурс. Режим доступа: http://ahdictionary.com/word/search. html?q=conservatism&submit.x=65&submit.y=18
12. The Carters of Freedom: A New World Is At Hand// Архив основополагающих уставных документов США. http://www.archives.gov /exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
