Edmund Burke

We are an LSE society for the development of true conservative thought on campus and in universities across the UK. Founded as a reaction to conservatism’s insipid presence in our universities, we aim to rekindle the spark of truly conservative political philosophy in the new generation, we are the Post-Liberal Society of the London School of Economics.What do we believe?Conservatism has been one of the most influential political philosophies and ideologies in history. Conservatives criticise liberals and socialists, their philosophical rivals, for making a utopian exaggeration of power of theoretical reason, of the perfection of human nature and thus the claim for abstract natural rights. Edmund Burke, conservatism’s “master intellectual” opposed this concept most trenchantly. Conservatism seeks the Truth that has emerged over time, marked by human experience, not meticulously planned, but organically risen; ordered, but not ordained.  We promote the continuation on traditional institutions. However, without change, this becomes one of the biggest conservative weaknesses as addressed initially by Edmund Burke and later by G.K. Chesterton. Chesterton argued that maintaining what was done in the past is not enough, instead we need to adjust, to change, we need to think and do what is ought to be. Therefore we stand for change, but not change for change’s sake. We desire cautious, methodical, and effective change that has a beneficial impact on members of society while staying close to our roots. Now a days, conservatism has been compromised, perhaps even purposely forgotten. There are barely political leaders who can call themselves conservatives – even the Conservative Party is parroting ideas originating on the left. Liberalism has succeeded in its infiltration of every aspect of our society, both on the left and on the right. The next time you stand at the ballot box, ask yourself: What choice do you really have? Is it even a choice if both sides are virtually the same?Both the liberal left and the liberal right, Labour and Conservative in the UK, PP, PSOE in Spain, CDU, SPD in Germany… They share the same liberal contractual view of society. The liberal left see the individual and the state, and the liberal right see the individual and the market. Neither sides are interested in knowing the true bonds that hold people together, their community, their family, their culture and their religion. However, as expressed by Blue Labour, there is a growing popular demand for the restoration of mutual obligations that join people into a common life and shared national inheritance. To bring back what really holds a society together, reciprocity -do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself.Thus a New Deal society must be reached, one that gives citizens a fair wage for work done, a decent home, social protection, new opportunities, and future prosperity for the next generation. A society that makes people proud of their family, their nation, and their community. One that inspires hope, decency and safety.All this is what conservatism means and what this Society believes. We are much more than just a simple university society: We are a promoter of the incoming conservative revolution. If you are interested or you are just curious about these topics, if you want to know more about what do we need to change and what is ought to be, join us. Membership £1.50 Events and Activities Monthly Committee and Subcommittee Dinner; Pub Crawl every beginning and end of term; Conferences; Networking Events; Student led lectures on Edmund Burke; Committee and Subcommittee work (finding sponsors, writing academic/newspaper articles, marketing, etc.)