Explore a collection of the most beloved and motivational quotes and sayings about Conservatism. Share these powerful messages with your loved ones on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or on your personal blog, and inspire the world with their wisdom. We've compiled the Top 100 Conservatism Quotes and Sayings from 89 influential authors, including George Lakoff,William F. Buckley Jr.,William J. Bennett,Richard T. Ely,Mitt Romney, for you to enjoy and share.

We will begin with three analytic failures by liberals: 1. Conservatism is "the ethos of selfishness." 2. Conservatives just believe in less government. 3. Conservatism is no more than a conspiracy of the ultrarich to protect their money and power and to make themselves even richer and more powerful. T By George Lakoff Conservatism Liberals Begin Analytic Failures

I've always believed that conservatism is the politics of reality, and that reality ultimately asserts itself in a reasonably free society, in behalf of the conservative position. By William F. Buckley Jr. Society Position Reality Believed Conservatism

One good way to understand what conservatism is really about is to use the acronym FLINT to remember five core concepts: Free enterprise, Limited government, Individual liberty, National defense, and Traditional values. These five principles are a good summary of conservative thought in America today. By William J. Bennett Free Limited Individual National Flint

We have among us a class of mammon worshippers, whose one test of conservatism or radicalism is the attitude one takes with respect to accumulated wealth. Whatever tends to preserve the wealth of the wealthy is called conservatism, and whatever favors anything else, no matter what is called socialism. By Richard T. Ely Worshippers Conservatism Wealth Class Mammon

Conservatism has had from its inception vigorously positive, intellectually rigorous agenda and thinking. That agenda should have in my three pillars: strengthen the economy, strengthen our security, and strengthen our families. By Mitt Romney Conservatism Positive Intellectually Thinking Strengthen

But you say you are conservative - eminently conservative - while we are revolutionary, destructive, or something of the sort. What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried? By George Haven Putnam Conservative Destructive Eminently Revolutionary Sort

One of the most important things liberals don't understand about conservatism, obscured by too much lazy talk about conservatism's various 'wings,' is that its tenets form a relatively organic base for its adherents, where 'traditional morality' serves the interests of laissez-faire economics and vice-versa. By Rick Perlstein Wings Conservatism Obscured Adherents Traditional

I'm conservative in my thought. I'm conservative in my theology. I'm conservative in my politics. By Richie Furay Conservative Thought Theology Politics

Conservatives, they're like the Republicans to me. They don't do much. They have this whole hierarchy and boys' club thing going on. That doesn't help the regular person. By Estelle Fanta Swaray Conservatives Republicans Person Hierarchy Boys

Conservatism is constitutionally opposed to public reason, and this explains the abandon with which so many conservative pundits embrace flagrant simulations of reason, constructed through the methods of public relations, and exhibit so little regard for the real thing. By Philip E. Agre Reason Public Conservatism Constructed Relations

To complete the rout of traditionalists, in America an impression began to arise that the new industrial and acquisitive interests are the conservative interest, that conservatism is simply a political argument in defense of large accumulations of private property, that expansion, centralization, and accumulation are the tenets of conservatives. From this confusion, from the popular belief that Hamilton was the founder of American conservatism, the forces of tradition in the United States never have fully escaped. By Russell Kirk America Centralization Conservatism Traditionalists Property

The trouble with traditional American conservatism is that it lacks a naturally cheerful, optimistic disposition. Not only does it lack one, it regards signs of one as evidence of unsoundness, irresponsibility. By Irving Kristol American Cheerful Optimistic Disposition Trouble

Conservatism is not a doctrine of contentment. Not a doctrine for the satisfied and the smug. It's a politics that's at war with the world. By Thomas Frank Conservatism Contentment Doctrine Smug World

Conservatism aims to maintain in working order the loyalties of the community to perceived truths and also to those truths which in their judgment have earned universal recognition. By William F. Buckley Jr. Truths Conservatism Recognition Aims Maintain

The point of conservatism is not that it prevents movement forward and upward, but that it prevents movement backward and downward, into chaotic darkness and a return to a primitive state. By Vladimir Putin Prevents Movement Upward Downward State

Suppose you had to remember to beat your heart, contract in exact sequence the muscles you use for every step ... Conservatism comes out of the body, the sense of many things being done for us that any attempt to re-think, or even make conscious, would fatally disrupt. By James Richardson Suppose Heart Contract Step Remember

Conservatism is an active intellectual pursuit; it requires a constant vigilance. It has nothing to do with feelings. Liberalism is the most gutless choice you can make. You just see suffering and say, 'Oh, I feel so horrible!' By Rush Limbaugh Conservatism Pursuit Vigilance Active Intellectual

Conservatism makes no poetry, breathes no prayer, has no invention; it is all memory. Reform has no gratitude, no prudence, no husbandry. By Ralph Waldo Emerson Conservatism Poetry Breathes Prayer Invention

Fanaticism, or, to call it by its milder name, enthusiasm, is only powerful and active so long as it is aggressive. Establish it firmly in power, and it becomes conservatism, whether it will or no. By James Russell Lowell Fanaticism Enthusiasm Aggressive Call Milder

Conservatism is the maintenance of conventions already in force. By Thorstein Veblen Conservatism Force Maintenance Conventions

On the other side, the conservative party, composed of the most moderate, able, and cultivated part of the population, is timid, and merely defensive of property. It vindicates no right, it aspires to no real good, it brands no crime, it proposes no generous policy, it does not build, nor write, nor cherish the arts, nor foster religion, nor establish schools, nor encourage science, nor emancipate the slave, nor befriend the poor, or the Indian, or the immigrant. By Ralph Waldo Emerson Side Party Composed Moderate Population

Tradition:' one of those words conservative people use as a shortcut to thinking. By Warren Ellis Tradition Thinking Words Conservative People

Ostensibly rigorous and realistic, contemporary conservatism is an ideology of denial. Its symbol is a smile button. By Christopher Lasch Ostensibly Realistic Contemporary Denial Rigorous

Conservatism is not about the party, because the party is merely the shell. It is the inside - it's the filling that really means something. By Jonathan Krohn Party Conservatism Shell Inside Filling

Conservatism therefore looks upon the enhancement of man's spiritual nature as the primary concern of political philosophy. Liberals, on the other hand, - in the name of a concern for "human beings" - regard the satisfaction of economic wants as the dominant mission of society. By Barry Goldwater Conservatism Philosophy Concern Enhancement Man

They offer me neither food nor drink - intellectual nor spiritual consolation ... [Conservatism] leads nowhere; it satisfies no ideal; it conforms to no intellectual standard, it is not safe, or calculated to preserve from the spoilers that degree of civilization which we have already attained. By John Maynard Keynes Drink Consolation Conservatism Intellectual Offer

Entwined with the strand of conservatism in the Democratic party is the strand of empiricism. By Dean Acheson Strand Democratic Entwined Empiricism Conservatism

Success breeds conservatism, and that means a love affair with the status quo and an aversion to change. By Frank Popoff Success Conservatism Change Breeds Love

To be conservative in politics is to take one's bearings not from the latest bright idea about how to make a better world, but by looking carefully at what the past reveals both about the kind of people we are and the problems that concern us. As we get older, we often become conservative in our habits, in our family practices, and in our recognition of the richness of our civilization, but this evolution of our character into a set of habits in no way blocks adventurousness. The old no less than the young may be found starting new enterprises, sailing around the world, and solving arcane academic questions. But it is in the ordinary business of life that we find our excitement, not in foolish collective dreams of political perfection. By Kenneth Minogue Conservative World Politics Bearings Latest

Conservatism solves problems libralism blows em up. By Rush Limbaugh Conservatism Solves Problems Libralism Blows

Conservatism is only as good as what it conserves. By Friedrich August Von Hayek Conservatism Conserves Good

I have the most conservative position. By Donald Trump Position Conservative

It is a striking example of modern conservatism's emphasis on the moral worth of the individual ... When I look at the debate over Elian ... I have to say that rarely have I been prouder of my fellow conservatives. By Ramesh Ponnuru Individual Striking Modern Conservatism Emphasis

Conservative, (New York, Beaufort Books, By John Philip Sousa Iv Conservative York Beaufort Books

Conservative resistance to change, that's all, By Harper Lee Conservative Change Resistance

Socialism, hypnotism, patriotism, materialism, fools making laws for the breaking of jaws. By Bob Dylan Socialism Hypnotism Patriotism Materialism Fools

Rebelling against the status quo was one of the definitions of conservatism. By Rick Perlstein Rebelling Conservatism Status Quo Definitions

Social conservatism and neoconservatism have revived authoritarian conservatism, and not for the better of conservatism or American democracy. True conservatism is cautious and prudent. Authoritarianism is rash and radical. American democracy has benefited from true conservatism, but authoritarianism offers potentially serious trouble for any democracy. By John W. Dean Conservatism American Democracy Social Neoconservatism

(A)nything not acting as a propaganda arm for the Democrats or the Leftist agenda is considered conservative these days. By Tammy Bruce Democrats Leftist Nything Days Acting

I'm actually quite conservative. By Peta Wilson Conservative

Truly conservative actions arise from intelligent hypotheses, correct facts and sound reasoning. By Warren Buffett Hypotheses Correct Reasoning Conservative Actions

Conservatism is affluent and openhanded, but there is a cunning juggle in riches. I observe that they take somewhat for everythingthey give. I look bigger, but am less; I have more clothes, but am nit so warm; more armor, but less courage; more books, but less wit. By Ralph Waldo Emerson Conservatism Openhanded Riches Affluent Cunning

Conservatives unwittingly side with the social forces that contribute to the destruction of traditional values. By Christopher Lasch Conservatives Unwittingly Side Social Forces

I'm a political conservative. By P. J. O'rourke Conservative Political

What unites conservatives and modernizers and young and old, is a hunger not for freedom but for justice; for genuine rule of law, not rule by royal whim. They want a government that is a transparent and accountable, one that provides standards services such as are available in far less wealthy societies: good education, job, affordable housing , and decent health care. By Karen Elliott House Rule Justice Law Whim Unites

What does it mean to be a conservative? I don't even know anymore. I know what it means to me. It means to me, personal responsibility. That if I've done something wrong, its up to me to pay the price. It's up to me to make it right. By Glenn Beck Conservative Anymore Personal Responsibility Wrong

Conservative's the last thing I am. By Ewan Mcgregor Conservative Thing

All conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But ... if you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. By G.k. Chesterton Leave Conservatism Based Idea Things

Conservatism, ever more timorous and narrow, disgusts the children, and drives them for a mouthful of fresh air into radicalism. By Ralph Waldo Emerson Conservatism Narrow Disgusts Children Radicalism

Conservatives define themselves in terms of what they oppose. By George Will Conservatives Oppose Define Terms

To be conservative, then, is to prefer the familiar to the unknown, to prefer the tried to the untried, fact to mystery, the actual to the possible, the limited to the unbounded, the near to the distant, the sufficient to the superabundant, the convenient to the perfect, present laughter to utopian bliss. By Michael Oakeshott Prefer Conservative Unknown Untried Fact

It is liberalism, whether people like it or not, which has animated all the years of my life. What on Earth did conservatism ever accomplish for our country? By Charles Kuralt Liberalism Life People Animated Years

I'm instinctively a Conservative. By Maurice Saatchi Conservative Instinctively

For neo-conservatism is a quintessentially Jewish project: a re-sanctification in everyday life of the core values of western civilisation, and the achievement of human potential through virtuous practice. The neo-cons' crucial insight is that public signals through law, custom and tradition are the key to getting people to behave well. And that is a Jewish insight. By Melanie Phillips Jewish Project Civilisation Practice Neoconservatism

I'm severely conservative. By Mitt Romney Conservative Severely

The conservatives want to rule man's consciousness; the liberals, his body. By Ayn Rand Consciousness Liberals Body Conservatives Rule

Compassionate conservative. I don't know what that is, it sounds like a Volvo with a gun rack. By Robin Williams Compassionate Conservative Volvo Rack Sounds

Just as liberalism is the main force that drives conservatism and maintains its popularity in some quarters, conservatism is the reason liberalism continues to enjoy the traction that it does in our poor civilization. By L. Neil Smith Liberalism Conservatism Quarters Civilization Main

But for a younger generation of conservative operatives who would soon rise to power ... They were true believers who meant what they said, whether it was 'No New Taxes' or 'We are a Christian Nation.' In fact, with their rigid doctrines, slash-and-burn style, and exaggerated sense of having been aggrieved, this new conservative leadership was eerily reminiscent of some of the New Left's leaders during the sixties. As with their left-wing counterparts, this new vanguard of the right viewed politics as a contest not just between competing policy visions, but between good and evil. Activists in both parties began developing litmus tests, checklists of orthodoxy, leaving a Democrat who questioned abortion increasingly lonely, any Republican who championed gun control effectively marooned. In this Manichean struggle, compromise came to look like weakness, to be punished or purged. You were with us or you were against us. You had to choose sides. By Barack Obama Power Younger Generation Operatives Rise

Conservatism is itself a modernism, and in this lies the secret of its success. By Roger Scruton Conservatism Modernism Success Lies Secret

Every time I hear the word conservative it makes me sick to my stomach ... By Charles Barkley Stomach Time Hear Word Conservative

Sensible conservatism is better than arrogant and stupid fanaticism. By Neville Stocks Fanaticism Conservatism Arrogant Stupid

Ideology-the permission to hate. By Marty Rubin Ideologythe Hate Permission

If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals - if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is. By Ronald Reagan Conservatism Liberals Analyze Heart Soul

To me, conservative means believing in a minimum amount of government and a maximum amount of freedom - and keeping government out of people's lives and business - and leaving people alone, By Lyn Nofziger Amount Government People Conservative Freedom

Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off of Christian values. It goes hand-in-hand. As far as the Republican Party? I felt connected to it because individual freedom should not be legislated by the federal government. By Joe Wurzelbacher Conservatism Basic Government Founding Fathers

Conservatism has always meant more to me than simply sticking up for private property & free enterprise. It has also meant defending our heritage & preserving our values. By Gerald R. Ford Conservatism Property Free Enterprise Meant

At heart, American conservatives like myself are believers in the Constitution. We believe that the principles embodied in the Constitution are enduring, and that to whatever extent we deviate from them we put our liberties at risk. Our views are consistent because we believe in absolute truths and the essential soundness, even righteousness, of the Founder's vision of government. By Sean Hannity American Constitution Heart Conservatives Believers

Continuity is at the heart of conservatism: ecology serves that heart. By Garrett Hardin Continuity Conservatism Ecology Heart Serves

I'm an ultra-conservative. By James Caan Ultraconservative

The conservatism of a religion - it's orthodoxy - is the inert coagulum of a once highly reactive sap. By Eric Hoffer Religion Orthodoxy Sap Conservatism Inert

Our shared conservative values, our belief in the individual is the great hope of our nation. By Rick Perry Nation Shared Conservative Belief Individual

Conservatives: Self-hating moral relativists, unless you can convince me that an intellectual class that publicly praises family values but privately engages in sodomy, coke and trophy wives is more aptly described in some other way. By John Scalzi Conservatives Selfhating Relativists Sodomy Coke

In today's impoverished dialogue, critiques of liberalism are often naively called "conservative," as if twenty-five hundred years of Western intellectual tradition presented no other alternatives. By Camille Paglia Conservative Western Dialogue Critiques Called

Government - they used to teach it in college. It's actually something you should study and learn and know how to do. The Republicans always run on the idea that government isn't very effective. Well, not the way you do it. But it can be effective. By Bill Maher College Teach Government Effective Republicans

The Democratic Party: Con-men elected by the ignorant and the arrogant. By John Ray Party Conmen Democratic Arrogant Elected

The Republican Party, right now, is a conservative populist party. By Mara Liasson Party Republican Conservative Populist

Let's trace the birth of an idea. It's born as rampant radicalism, then it becomes progressivism, then liberalism, then it becomes moderated conservative, outmoded, and gone. By Powell Clayton Idea Trace Birth Outmoded Radicalism

Conservatism proper is a legitimate, probably necessary, and certainly widespread attitude of opposition to drastic change. It has, since the French Revolution, for a century and a half played an important role in European politics. Until the rise of socialism its opposite was liberalism. There is nothing corresponding to this conflict in the history of the United States, because what in Europe was called "liberalism" was here the common tradition on which the American polity had been built: thus the defender of the American tradition was a liberal in the European sense. By Friedrich Hayek European Conservatism Legitimate Change American

It is not about Republicanism, it's about conservatism. By Mark Davis Republicanism Conservatism

Well, first of all, I don't want to debate the word conservative, but by my definition, a conservative is someone who wants to conserve the Constitution of the United States and the American tradition and law that no one is above the law. By Dan Rather Constitution United States American Conservative

Conservatism is not about tradition and morality, hasn't been for many decades ... It is about the putative biological and spiritual superiority of the wealthy. By Greg Bear Conservatism Morality Decades Tradition Wealthy

Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear. By William Ewart Gladstone People Tempered Liberalism Prudence Trust

I'm apolitical. Where all that Conservative business came along from, I don't know. By Cilla Black Apolitical Conservative Business

American conservatism depends on its continued dominance and even for its very existence on people never making connections about the world, connections that until recent were treated as obvious or self-evident everywhere on the planet. By Thomas Frank Connections American World Planet Conservatism

Who knew, in 2000, that 'compassionate conservatism' meant bigger government, unrestricted government spending, government intrusion in personal matters, government ineptitude, and cronyism in disaster relief? Who knew, in 2000, that the only bill the president would veto, six years later, would be one on funding stem-cell research? A more accurate term for Mr. Bush's political philosophy might be incontinent conservatism. By Christopher Buckley Government Knew Compassionate Meant Unrestricted

To those of you who would classify yourselves as conservatives I would say, meditate long and hard on Jesus' saying "Whatever you do to the least of these you have done to me". By Peter Kreeft Jesus Meditate Classify Conservatives Long

Clinging to any form of conservatism can be dangerous. Become too conservative and you are unprepared for surprises. You cannot depend on luck. Logic is blind and often knows only its own past. Logic is good for playing chess but is often too slow for the needs of survival. By Frank Herbert Clinging Dangerous Logic Form Conservatism

Government is the enemy of conservatism and freedom. By Ron Paul Government Freedom Enemy Conservatism

I examined my Liberalism and found it like an addiction to roulette. Here, though the odds are plain, and the certainty of loss apparent to anyone with a knowledge of arithmetic, the addict, failing time and again, is convinced he yet is graced with the power to contravene natural laws. The roulette addict, when he invariably comes to grief, does not examine either the nature of roulette, or of his delusion, but retires to develop a new system, and to scheme for more funds. By David Mamet Liberalism Roulette Addict Examined Found

Be conservative in what you do, be liberal in what you accept from others. By Jon Postel Conservative Liberal Accept

I claim neither liberalism nor conservatism - one tends to be airheaded while the other tends to be brickheaded. By Criss Jami Conservatism Brickheaded Claim Liberalism Airheaded

In this age, there is no substitute for Christianity. That was the religion of the founders of the republic, and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants. The great, vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure, doctrines and divine truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By United States House Judiciary Committee Of Congress 1854 Christianity Age Religion Substitute Christ

I think experience will teach you a combination of liberalism and conservatism. We have to be progressive and at the same time we have to retain values. We have to hold onto the past as we explore the future. By Oliver Stone Conservatism Experience Teach Combination Liberalism

Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions. By Clinton Rossiter Conservatism Revolutions Worship Dead

Why the conservatives, who controlled all three branches of the federal government, were still so enragedat respectful skeptics of the Iraq War, at gay couples who wanted to get married, at bland Al Gore and cautious Hillary Clinton, at endangered species and their advocates, at taxes and gas prices that were among the lowest of any industrialized nation, at a mainstream media whose corporate owners were themselves conservatives, at the Mexicans who cut their grass and washed their disheswas somewhat mysterious to Walter. By Jonathan Franzen Conservatives War Clinton Walter Iraq

I'm a registered conservative. By Sean Hannity Conservative Registered

I believe the default position in life is liberalism. You have to work at being a Conservative. By Josh Bernstein Liberalism Conservative Default Position Life

Conservatives are people who look at a tree and feel instinctively that it is more beautiful than anything they can name. But when it comes to defending that tree against a highway, they will go for the highway. By Norman Mailer Conservatives Highway Tree People Feel

I believe that this is the key, the principle itself is the key to conservatism. Because in many ways if you do not have a principled base you do not have policy and if you do not have policy in many ways you do not have an ideology. By Jonathan Krohn Key Conservatism Principle Policy Ideology