[Grem] Sir Roger Scruton: conservatism, christianity vs. islam , marriage

[Emoke Greschik]

Sir Roger Scruton reflects on conservatism rather than attacking socialism
and liberalism
by *Francis Phillips
<http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/author/francis-phillips/>*
posted Friday, 22 Sep 2017
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2017/09/22/
want-to-know-what-conservatism-really-is-try-this-admirable-book/
Roger Scruton

Sir Roger Scruton reflects on conservatism rather than attacking socialism
and liberalism

I have been having a recent run-in with an American Facebook “friend”. He
insists that “conservatism” (with a small “c”) is the same as capitalism
and is another word for a system that allows greedy bosses to crush the
workers. I keep trying to explain, without success, that conservatism is
neither the unacceptable face of capitalism nor modern Conservatism.

In desperation I have pointed him towards *Sir Roger Scruton’s admirable
little book,* published in paperback in 2015, entitled* How to be A
Conservative.* It was Scruton who introduced me to Edmund Burke’s “little
platoons” which I referred to in my last blog. As someone whose own
conservatism was deeply influenced by witnessing the 1968 student protests
in Paris, *Scruton addresses a readership that cares for common-law
justice, parliamentary democracy, private charity, public spirit and those
little platoons of volunteers that all go to make civil society possible
and enduring.*

Naturally enough,* Scruton is a convinced Brexiteer,** not because he* is
stupid or racist (common slurs put out by Remainers last year) *but
because, as he argues eloquently in his book, the values of conservatism
depend on the good maintenance of the nation-state and, following on from
this, national borders.* *The EU is “a conspiracy to dissolve* *those
borders”* and* is thus a threat to* *European democracy*. *Democracy, *he
argues, *needs boundaries and boundaries need the nation state.*

His book is a reflection on conservatism rather than an attack on *socialism
or liberalism. He carefully examines them both, alongside multiculturalism,
environmentalism and internationalism, and extracts what is good in them
while rejecting ideological aspects.** Where socialism* *understands “the
truth of our mutual dependence and of the need to do what we can to spread
the benefits of social membership to those whose own efforts do not suffice
to obtain them”, it is not far removed from compassionate conservatism.*
But, Scruton warns, *when socialism becomes “an attempt to revise human
nature…it is a dangerous fantasy.” *Indeed, the “confiscation of civil
society by the state* leads to a widespread refusal *among the citizens *to
act for themselves”*. This has led to* all the problems of “welfareism”*
that have slowly become entrenched in our society.

Scruton’s chapter on “Realms of value” should be read by anyone who wonders
what “British values” actually are anymore and what they mean for a
conservative. Discussing *the role that the established religion plays in
our national life, he pointedly shows up the difference between
Christianity* *and Islam, which does not distinguish between private faith
and public government. *As he writes, *“It is one of the triumphs of
Christian civilization to have held on to the Christian notion of human
destiny while acknowledging the priority of secular law”*. *We must render
unto Caesar.*

On* marriage as defined between a man and a woman,* now abandoned by all
political parties,* Scruton again makes the case for the ancient,
traditional institution, commenting that it is “the primary way in which
social capital is transferred from one generation to the next” and that
“the bearing of children and the preparation for family life live at the
heart of the marital tie.”* *Take away* *this norm** and the institution
“will no longer* *be a bond across generations with the nurture of children
as its goa*l, *but a contract for cohabitation, as temporary… as any other
such deal.”*

Scruton’s book requires a certain kind of reflective attention. I am not
sure my Facebook “friend” has it. It is always easier to declaim rather
than to listen.

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