Thank you for this valuable piece. In today’s climate, it’s important to understand the roots of what each side believes is the prescription for a good society. Focusing on Burke feels right, in that, at its best, conservatism advocates for a future that respects the lessons of the past. (I’ll look forward to understanding reactionism and libertarianism better in your future piece.)

The ideology of looking exclusive to the right (the past) or to the left (the future) feels like a temper tantrum from a 4-year-old fleeing from the present. IIRC, Wm. F. Buckley argued the core of conservatism was belief that human nature is immutable. That seems consistent with Burke. Whatever else one might think of the past, it is worth looking to because that’s how we learn what’s unchangeable in people.

That much of conservatism seems valid. It’s prima facie unrealistic to expect a particular change in policy will result in a change to human nature (which those well to the left seem to effectively deny). On the other hand, cultural / political changes have resulted in better society. History is full of successes and failures. Going forward, all problems need to be addressed, change should be welcomed—specific changes guided by lessons of the past.