(JustPatriots.com) – There is no such thing as a Model conservative. At its core, conservatism is neither an ideology nor is it a dogmatic construct. Instead, it is a body of values and opinions coupled with rugged individualism and the pursuit of the American Dream.
Conservatism in the 21st Century embraces personal responsibility, personal freedom, truth and justice, law and order. The modern conservative belief structure may appear complicated, but at its core is rather simple and straightforward. Below are three core values of conservatism.
Enduring Moral Order
Order implies harmony from within and without. History teaches the wages of a lapse in moral order lead to atrocities and the ruin of great nations.
Conservatism embraces morality in the form of respect for traditional family values, respect for all human beings, equal opportunity for all, compassion, diversity, and a strong sense of community.
Free and Fair Markets
Free enterprise without undue governmental intrusion or constraints is key to free and fair private markets. Economic freedom provides societal well-being, opportunity, and jobs.
The role of government is not to unnecessarily burden business with excessive regulation. Instead, its job is to support free enterprise and to ensure economic activity and trade is conducted with the utmost integrity to the benefit of society as a whole.
Freedom of Religion
The free exercise of religion is so essential to the American experience the Founding Fathers preserved it in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Freedom of religion lies at the intersection of several moral values like marriage, the death penalty, and the sanctity of human life, particularly for the unborn. It also plays a role in defining how people treat each other, the creation of systems of social order, and how society treats the least-fortunate among its members.
The Essence of Conservative Values
In many ways, the essence of conservatism is defined by the word itself. It’s a belief in the “conservation” of traditional values tried and tested throughout the ages. Life is full of paradox, and perhaps the most enduring one associated with conservatism is found in its ability to liberate one while preserving the past. In that sense, the time-tested values of conservativism have opened the door to human progress.
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