readnlove

“Don’t cut the celery (or beef) this way. You should cut it this way”. This ideological dogmatism is found persistent among conservatives. Their moral belief is there is a natural law that governs everything under the sun and any behavior that imbalances the natural law and order will result in undesired consequences for human survival. 

This natural order, until the beginning of Enlightenment, was a feudalistic society. 

What is Feudalism?

Feudalism was a social and political system in medieval Europe (roughly 9th to 15th centuries), notable for its rigid hierarchy and a focus on land ownership in exchange for services. Here’s how it was structured:

• The King: The ultimate authority, owning all the land in the kingdom.
• Nobles (Lords/Barons): Granted large pieces of land (fiefs) by the king in exchange for loyalty, taxes, and military service.
• Knights: Skilled warriors who served nobles. They were granted smaller pieces of land in exchange for military protection.
• Peasants/Serfs: The lowest class. They worked the land belonging to nobles or knights, providing food and labor in exchange for basic protection and the right to live on the land.

In modern day ultraconservative outfits, the King is a supreme leader with a cult of personality. He (not sure if it can be She) is the King and has the final say on anything. 

The decline of feudalism, the rise of Enlightenment ideals, and the birth of liberalism were all interconnected events that reshaped Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Here’s a breakdown of the timeline:

1. Decline of Feudalism (14th-17th Centuries):

• Weakening factors: Events like the Black Death, constant warfare, growth of trade towns, and advancements in military technology chipped away at the feudal system’s foundation.
• Shifting power: Monarchs started raising their own armies, reducing reliance on nobles and knights. The rise of the merchant class due to trade offered a new economic model.

2. Rise of Enlightenment (17th-18th Centuries):

• Intellectual movement: This era emphasized reason, logic, and scientific inquiry over traditional authority and religious dogma. Thinkers like John Locke and Montesquieu challenged absolute monarchies and divine right to rule.
• Focus on individual rights: Enlightenment thinkers championed individual liberty, natural rights, and government based on consent. Their ideas provided the philosophical foundation for liberalism.

3. Birth of Liberalism (18th Century):

• Political philosophy: Liberalism emerged as a political ideology emphasizing individual freedom, limited government, and representative democracy. These ideas challenged the absolute power of monarchs and the rigid social structures of the past.
• Real-world impact: The American and French Revolutions were major turning points, putting Enlightenment ideals into practice and hastening the end of feudalism.

Conservative Reaction (to the end of feudalism): In reaction to the radical changes and ideas of the Enlightenment and subsequent revolutions (like the French Revolution), some conservative thinkers argued in favor of a return to a more ordered and stable society, which they felt was represented by the pre-Enlightenment era. However, they typically did not advocate for a return to feudalism per se but rather sought a society that respected tradition and social hierarchy as means of maintaining stability and continuity.

Key connections:

• The decline of feudalism created the social and economic conditions for new ideas to flourish. The weakening of the aristocracy created space for the Enlightenment thinkers’ challenge to traditional hierarchies.
• Enlightenment ideas provided the philosophical justification for liberalism, which in turn fueled revolutions that dismantled feudal structures and established more democratic systems of government.

They are in favor of limited government intervention emphasizing fewer regulations, reduced government spending, and lower taxes, so that the already privileged class can continue to enjoy the status quo. While the liberals generally support a more active role for government in the economy, believing it can act as a force for social equity and provide essential services like healthcare and education. 

They believe in equal opportunities for everyone than relying on a natural order that decides who should be on top of the pyramid. Both are in favor if individualism. The only difference is conservatives call for individual rights for a selected few while liberals call for individualism for all.