‘But I think the underlying point is sound: You can’t found an American conservatism on Burke alone, for the solid Burkean reason that he wasn’t an American, and thus wasn’t in the business of defending our particular particularities. But Burke read through/alongside Tocqueville is a different matter, and seen in that light I think the father of British conservatism’s place in the intellectual canon of the modern American right is deserved and secure.’
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From George Will on Stephen Colbert: “What conservatives say is that we will protect you against idealism.” Originalism vs. The living constitution: George Will Via The Jewish World Review: ‘True Self-Government
Sunday Quotation: Edmund Burke On The French Revolution
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“You can’t found an American conservatism on Burke alone, for the solid Burkean reason that he wasn’t an American, and thus wasn’t in the business of defending our particular particularities.”
So why did Douthat bother writing the article in the first place?
Good question.
Well Malcolm, you have particular particularities, Douthat has his, and I know I have my own particular particularities, peculiar, it could be said, to my own person.
I’m guessing mostly because of his audience. He’s a columnist speaking to a primarily Left and liberal Left readership under a progressive Presidency from a popular soapbox.
They’re generally hostile to Burke and perhaps he needs to talk about the soup du jour and come up with at least 750 words as well. Charitably, he’s trying to introduce this familial conservative discussion without capitulating to the roots of relativism.
The Thomas Paine/Edmund Burke split partly introduced by more Leftward thinkers but has been more currently brought up by a more conservative thinker in a popular book, so he’s got to weigh in, in a language many in his audience will understand.
Now, if that doesn’t convince you, nothing will.
Thanks, Chris. I appreciate the explanation.
And a little attempt at humor, as well.
You mean about your “particular particularities”? I don’t have any of those.