Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.
— Frank Wilhoit
He is also not the same Frank Wilhoit who wrote the Politics of Massive Resistance though the quote has been often misattributed to him. (Understandable given that one Frank Wilhoit was a political scinetist but the Frank Wilhoit who wrote the quote was a composer, though the quote was written far after the political scientists death and can be clearly attributed to the composer)
yesman@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
I read a book called The Reactionary Mind, by Robin.
It’s thesis was that if you survey Western conservative writings from the French Revolution to today, the only consistent value is hierarchy. God, guns, small government, capitalism, and traditional family values may all be jettisoned, but never hierarchy.
I’ll point out that this week, Trump pitted gun rights vs. enforcement of the out-group and the American Right shuddered.
Aqarius@lemmy.world 12 hours ago
The same argument, from the opposite side, is made by Bob Altmeyer in “The Authoritarians”: there is a psychological profile defined by a desire to be, and have everyone else be, a cog in the machine - the purpose of which is entirely irrelevant.
surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
Shuddered then fell into line.