What is a conservative? All advocates of freedom of expression must of course join in the defense of the strange conference in Brussels, which was briefly halted last week by the city’s left-wing, intolerant local government leaders. But if this was conservatism, then it is no wonder the cause was lost.
Among the scheduled or actual speakers was our very own Nigel Farage. What exactly is conservative about him? He is the star performer of the thriving Margaret Thatcher Tribute Band, which has grown up as the Tory party has become increasingly wishy-washy and Blairite.
Nigel Farage outside the event in Brussels that was briefly halted earlier this week. What exactly is conservative about him?
But he seems like a liberal to me, like Liz Truss. For example, both have spoken out in favor of weakening marijuana laws, a completely unconservative position. Then there is the Hungarian politician Viktor Orban, who knows how to play the melodies that patriots and conservatives love to hear. But something about him suggests he’s the kind of politician who goes into a revolving door behind you and comes out at the front. And there is French politician Eric Zemmour, who has questioned the innocence of Alfred Dreyfus, the Jewish French army officer accused as a spy by anti-Semites in one of the most shameful events in French history. All those Belgian leftists who tried to stop this event must have known that they were doing these so-called ‘national conservatives’ a favor.
Their business thrives when no one can hear what they say. When silenced, they gain prestige as the tortured victims of censorship. Meanwhile, serious, thoughtful conservatism has all but disappeared, replaced by questionable sloganeers, wild tax cutters, warmongers and drug legalizers.
Cheerful little announcements appear in the posher areas of Westminster (my example here is from an alley close to the exclusive clublands of St James’s, close to several Royal venues). They threaten heavy fines for those who commit what we used to call nuisance on the streets. Well, fine. We all prefer unspoiled sidewalks. But have these bladder cops tried to find legal help recently? Public toilets in Westminster (and many other places) are either always closed, usually closed, or barred to anyone without the right kind of contactless payment card. It’s not the highest function of government, but if you think about it, it’s a very important one.
Not so long ago, initial reports of the Sydney knife murders would have suggested he was a terrorist. This time almost no one came to this conclusion. It is a step forward that we have stopped making this foolish assumption. But how long will it be before we start asking whether the perpetrator was a long-term user of drugs, especially marijuana?
I suspect that if Western societies started looking for this link, they would find it again and again. But they don’t want that, because so many in public life have used this drug and because the police have given up the fight against it.
How happy people become torturers
I recommend a new movie, Civil War, starring Kirsten Dunst. It depicts the outbreak of a second civil war in 21st century America. The main characters take a journey through prosperous suburban and rural America, that thick, peaceful land of well-watered lawns, smiling countryside and baseball fields. And they find ruins – not only of buildings but also of people.
Men and women who were normal, kind and generous have become cheerful torturers and happy, even cheerful murderers. The war did this to them. They still look the same as when there was peace, but they have become monsters.
This is war, terrible as it is, costly in lives and treasure, destroying human goodness and turning our society into a poorer and more regulated country than before.
I can easily see why left-wing revolutionaries would like this. But not why those who consider themselves “conservative” or “right-wing” do so. Over the past 120 years, war has destroyed almost everything such people are supposed to value. So why are they so excited about every war that arises?