Conservatism means wanting to keep the society as it is.
Conservatism has never been that. It has always been about defending the privilege of the unaccountable elite, against meritocracy and rule of law. Throughout history, conservatives supported vast social changes, as long as they were at the expense of working people. Consider the enclosure of the commons in Britain as one big example, that led to destitution, famine and mass emigration.
So it’s important to keep in mind what’s being conserved: it’s not the status quo, it’s the rich’s ability to do what they want without being held accountable. The actual policies promoted by conservatives have been widely changeable over time, but that key principle remains the same.
Conservatism has never been that. It has always been about defending the privilege of the unaccountable elite, against meritocracy and rule of law. Throughout history, conservatives supported vast social changes, as long as they were at the expense of working people. Consider the enclosure of the commons in Britain as one big example, that led to destitution, famine and mass emigration.
So it’s important to keep in mind what’s being conserved: it’s not the status quo, it’s the rich’s ability to do what they want without being held accountable. The actual policies promoted by conservatives have been widely changeable over time, but that key principle remains the same.