We certainly are blessed here in North America. With a very few exceptions, we’re free to vote without being coerced to support one party or another. People can join political parties and run for public office with little fear of being assassinated. Voting itself is a civic chore which is open to all citizens in the region of the election.
Having been on both sides of the political spectrum, here are my reasons for my conservative beliefs. You might not agree with them but here they are anyway.
I’ve come to understand, first of all, that there are only two types of government. Either a country is ruled by the government and their cronies or it’s governed from the grass roots level. Instead of left and right, the paradigm is top-down verses bottom-up governance. The various manifestations of socialism all rule from the top downwards. In a grass roots-governed democracy, the leaders obey the will of the people.
My second reason for being a conservative is that it corresponds to reality. People are naturally interested in their own good. Since this is so, they wish to earn a profit from their labour. When governments have reduced taxation and the volume of regulations, economies flourish. Britain in the early nineteen-eighties, America by the end of Ronald Reagan’s second term, and many other examples show the benefit of letting free enterprise do its work. On the other hand, socialist governments raise taxes and strangle entrepreneurs with regulations. The Canadian province of Ontario used to be Canada’s manufacturing centre. When the New Democratic Party (NDP) were elected, they spent the province deep into debt. The economic crisis in Europe is another example of socialism dragging countries down.
My third reason is the moral values which conservatism fosters. Believing that laws come from a higher power than the government causes people to be more respectful of human rights. On the other hand, the liberal philosophy of naturalism declares that we’re the masters of our own fate and therefore responsible to nobody. If certain humans are considered “life unworthy of life,” and therefore disposable, who’s to say it’s wrong?
Conservatism also raises the living standards of everybody, not just a privileged class. Though some people become fabulously rich, the general public benefit from new firms which these business people launch. Competition keeps waste to a minimum and gives consumers the lowest prices. On the other hand, Governments which tax the rich and pay those who want the money stunt the growth of the economy. Like feeding squirrels in the park, it merely makes folks more and more dependent on government hand-outs.
Having read The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith, I’ve seen clearly how capitalism has benefited, not blighted, the world. It’s made America, Canada, and other western nations wealthy. It has also distributed wealth to many more citizens than socialism ever could.
Conservatism and Christianity go well together too. Both encourage people to be generous to others while not burdening them with taxes. Both concepts also encourage hard work rather than sloth.
Self-publishing three books has shown me the value of earning one’s way rather than begging for grants. My books stand on their own merit, not because productive people were forced to pay for their publication. My first two books are available from the Bruce Atchison’s books link. How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Virtual Bookworm Publishers.
Bruce Atchison - author 