September 20, 2008
Conservatism was once a frankly elitist movement. Conservatives stood against liberalism radical egalitarianism and the destruction of rigorous standards. They stood up for classical education, hard-earned knowledge, tradition experience and prudence. Wisdom was acquired through immersion in the best that has been thought and said.
In contrast to this classical kind of conservatism there has always been a separate, populist, strain. For those in this school, book knowledge is suspect but practical knowledge is respected. The city is corrupting and the universities are kindergartens for overeducated fools.The elitists favor sophistication, but the common-sense folk favor simplicity. The elitists favor deliberation, but the populists favor instinct.
This populist tendency produced the term-limits movement based on the belief that time in government destroys character but contact with grass-roots Australia gives one grounding in real life and produces character. This has usually been an agrarian populism.
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A quote from H L Mencken re America at least.
As democracy is perfected, the office of president, represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.