Freedom and Order (A Study of Western Conservative Political Thought)

Author: Zhu Demi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-28
Features: The tension between freedom and order is one of the fundamental characteristics of modern society. On one hand, freedom is one of the driving forces behind the development of modern society. On the other hand, order is one of the prerequisites for social development. This book primarily explores how modern Western conservatism understands and resolves the tension between freedom and order, taking the evolution of modern society as its background. From the perspective of the relationship between "freedom and order," it conducts a theoretical study of modern Western conservatism. Compared to liberalism, which aligns with human primal desires, conservatism is somewhat characterized by restraining the excess of human desires. In the view of conservatism, a person's social instincts should suppress their natural instincts. However, modern society has already unleashed the of primal instincts, and humans no longer have the ability to close it.
Conservatism holds that the meaning of modern life is not limited to striving for individual freedom, independent personality, and extensive human rights. Instead, it should focus more on ethical obligations to family, parents, and others, the moral character of individuals, and their responsibilities to society and the community. Only within these ethical and social contexts can individuals find the roots of their "self-identity" and live a "meaningful" life.
Conservatism argues that the materialistic and greedy liberalism leads personal life into a moral "vacuum," thereby contributing to the proliferation of modern hedonism and nihilism. Conservatism is an important ideological resource for resolving the excesses of modern hedonism and nihilism, as well as addressing the inherent contradictions of modernity. It can enrich and enhance our intellectual reserves for the challenges of modern society.