How to Be a Conservative
How to Be a Conservative is a 2014 book by the English philosopher Roger Scruton, in which the author outlines the conservative ideology, its opposition to materialism, and argues how it can be applied to crucial contemporary issues.
 Cover of the first edition | |
| Author | Roger Scruton |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Conservatism |
| Published | 2014 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Continuum |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | 978-1-4729-0376-1 |
Reception
Jesse Norman wrote in The Spectator: "There are occasional missteps and the odd mini-rant, but the book is highly engaging, and studded with insights into topics as diverse as international treaties, alienation and the nature of laughter."[1] In Standpoint, David Willetts wrote that the book "communicates a distinctive conservative disposition with great charm and formidable learning."[2] Willetts wrote that Scruton:
is very good on the importance of autonomous institutions — what I called civic conservatism. But he is surprisingly uninterested in where this great tradition comes from or how it has changed over time. He appears to regard it as a happy and perhaps rather accidental gift from history. This means that his account of the role of Conservatives is rather passive and incurious.[2]
References
- Norman, Jesse (27 September 2014). "Passion, authority and the odd mini-rant: Scruton's conservative vision". The Spectator. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- Willetts, David (November 2014). "Squire Scruton and the Tory Disposition". Standpoint. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
External links
Further reading
- Burke, Edmund (1790). Reflections on the Revolution in France.
- Kirk, Russell (1953). The Conservative Mind, from Burke to Eliot. Stellar Classics. ISBN 9780895261717.
- Scruton, Roger (2017). Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition. All Points Books. ISBN 978-1-250-17056-9.
- Will, George F. (2019). The Conservative Sensibility. Hatchette Books. ISBN 9780316480932.