The moderniser's dilemma Book

This itself is a classic. It was published in 2000 - yet remains relevant to this day, and more likely than not, for many years to come. Here, Scruton outlines a conservatism seemingly shrouded in mystery and gathering dust, as it were. A forgotten ideology misappropriated by other ideologues. This kind of conservatism doesn't place emphasis on money, the individual, on greed - that isn't conservatism. It places emphasis on tradition, allegiance, loyalty, law and order, society, family, faith. This is what is important to a great society. The fact this has been forgotten by many Conservatives, bar perhaps the Cornerstone Group, has left our society in mortal decline.

Conservatism isn't neo-liberalism. It isn't about destroying the state and getting out of the way like a young William Hague once said. It places such emphasis on the state, as Scruton outlines, to assert its legitimate authority and power. When you leave the sphere, you leave a vacuum to be filled by decadence. That is what has occurred and where Thatcher went wrong. And clearly, as Scruton brilliantly outlines, the state shouldn't make education subordinate to its aims for society, but rather to society itself. Ultimately private schools are preferable because of their focus on a classical education rather than 'Women's Studies' or 'Football Studies', and more likely than not, are not a secular hell hole of 'play nice and no winning'. Ultimately, liberalism is incompatible with conservatism. Let's not pretend otherwise.

So we shall sail down the road of destruction with no end in sight. But hell, I will fight on. For as Scruton outlines, you shouldn't just abandon the wreck because the going gets tough. Just look at Poland for an example of a resurgent nation. We should have confidence in our ability as a nation again, not shun it. Let us say the things that ought to be said, and those that hear it with a sound mind shall follow. The rest will be sheep - that is man, but never mind.

No Surrender.