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The Ideology of the 21St Century: Anarchist Conservatism

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The Ideology of the 21St Century: Anarchist Conservatism Culture, Society, and Praxis Volume 9 Number 1 Identity, Conflict, Stigma, and Society Article 3 May 2016 The Ideology of the 21st Century: Anarchist Conservatism Emre Baysoy Namık Kemal University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp Recommended Citation Baysoy, Emre (2016) "The Ideology of the 21st Century: Anarchist Conservatism," Culture, Society, and Praxis: Vol. 9 : No. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp/vol9/iss1/3 This Main Theme / Tema Central is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Journals at Digital Commons @ CSUMB. It has been accepted for inclusion in Culture, Society, and Praxis by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CSUMB. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Baysoy: The Ideology of the 21st Century: Anarchist Conservatism The Ideology of the 21st Century: Anarchist Conservatism By Emre Baysoy Summary. Although it is mostly accepted that the ideologies of conservatism and anar- chism are at the very opposite sides of the political thought spectrum, this paper is based on its own speculation that conservatism and anarchism are based on the same grounds. In fact, apart from sharing same philosophical roots, these two ideologies are establishing a neutral alliance spontaneously on the basis of anarcho-capitalism. As a matter of fact, one step further than alliance, conservatism and anarchism are becoming two sides of the same coin and this new ideology can be labelled as anarchist conservatism. This essay aims to reveal and highlight the characteristics of this new ideology in a critical manner. Introduction inance) he missed the fact that ideologies In the 21st century, ideologies and ideo- are also patterns to demand power. Ideo- logical confrontations are accepted as out logies legitimize and shape what is desir- of date and irrelevant to the realm of poli- able, eligible and feasible by the people. tics. Especially with the declaration of Following Marx’s consideration ideolo- “the End of the History” by Francis Fu- gies have their roots in social class struc- kuyama (1992), Liberalism is thought to tures. People’s knowledge is determined be victorious over the other ideologies by their class position (Goodwin with the claim that Liberalism is not an 1997:18). Broadly speaking, Liberalism ideology, but the only true path to peace can be accepted as the ideology of the and prosperity. In contrast with this gen- bourgeoisie, socialism that of the proletar- eral acceptance, it can be argued that any iat and conservatism that of the aristocra- new power structure which created new cy. power groups inevitably holds an ideolog- In parallel, Karl Mannheim was the ical standpoint in order to preserve this first to claim that ideologies are “incon- new political structure. Thus, contempo- gruent with reality” but he accepted that rary politics generates an ideology to con- this contradictory reality is to preserve the serve the status quo as well as to control status quo (Goodwin 1997:21; Mannheim the change. 1936):“Mannheim distinguished the par- After its usage by Baron de Tott in the ticular conception of ideology from the meaning of ‘the science of ideas’, the total conception of ideology. The former term “ideology” gained a pejorative refers to a set of ideas particular to a meaning with Karl Marx. According to group’s special interests, which promotes Marx, ideology was the dominant class’s these interests and decides other groups” tool for dominance (Goodwin 1997:19). (Goodwin 1997:21). On the other hand, Although Marx highlighted one feature of according to Barbara Goodwin ideologies ideologies (that is, as a tool for class dom- have five dimensions (1997:22). First, CS&P Vol 9. Num 1 May 2016 Published by Digital Commons @ CSUMB, 2016 1 Culture, Society, and Praxis, Vol. 9, No. 1 [2016], Art. 3 2 The Ideology of the 21st Century CS&P they carry certain kinds of beliefs; sec- bringing up some certain ideas and be- ond, they have an explanatory power liefs, they define and/or persuade people about the general structure of the issues as to what reality is (no matter if it is ra- and events; third, they display a persua- tional or not), they define and/impose sive force for people; fourth, they claim what is legitimate (with the claim of be- to be scientific; and fifth they all have ir- ing scientific) and they serve to prevent rational and illogical side for the sake of any uncontrolled change which could lead integrity. In short, ideologies are the stra- to a change in the system. tegic tools of any political structure. By By bearing in mind all these functions characteristics of Anarchism and Con- of ideologies, Conservatism and Anar- servatism are mentioned. However, de- chism display a great potential to serve tailed assessment of these two ideologies neo-liberal policies. In fact, it can be ar- is out of the scope of this study. These gued that this coalition has already been ideologies will be covered only in terms established in practice since the beginning of their main characteristics and the main of the 1980’s. At the beginning of the focus will be on their similarities rather 21st century, this partnership is much than their dissimilarities. The various sub- more certain than ever. Moreover, rather divisions or alternative interpretations of than a practical partnership, it is possible each ideology will be investigated only to to say that a new ideology is forming. the extent that these alternations affect the This study aims to examine this new ide- general argument of the paper. From ology. these characteristics, their similar points Conservatism and Anarchism are gen- will be highlighted. Finally, the question erally thought to be the most counter- of why and how this ‘bizarre’ alliance is posed ideologies to each other. In conven- about to be formed will be answered in tional terms, the former puts a great em- reference to the coming age Anarcho- phasis on authority whereas the latter is Capitalism. totally against the authority and all the authority figures. Conservatism takes ine- Anarchism quality as a neutral fact and accepts that all of politics and society ‘ought to be’ After the usage of the term pejoratively in based on this condition. Anarchism, on the times of the French Revolution, Pierre the other hand, argues that inequality is an Joseph Proudhon was the first to declare outcome of state and authority, that is himself as an anarchist in a positive and why it is wrong and ‘ought to be’ abol- systematic set of ideas (Heywood ished along with the state. However de- 2007:175). In a sense, it can be said that spite these very basic oppositions be- its pejorative meaning and Proudhon’s tween them, these two ideologies have declaration was overlapping since anar- more in common than their disparities. chism, in general, is against all the ideals Especially in the contemporary era, Con- of the French Revolution. Anarchism re- servatism and Anarchism have merged jected modernism and showed resistance almost totally. This new ideology can be to progress by attacking all enlightenment labelled as anarchist conservatism. notions such as nationality, rationality, To show the similarities between Con- and libertarianism. Coming from the word servatism and Anarchism, the general Culture Society and Praxis ISSN: 1544-3159 https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp/vol9/iss1/3 2 Baysoy: The Ideology of the 21st Century: Anarchist Conservatism CS&P Baysoy 3 Anarchy1 with its meaning “absence of ence” (Goodwin 1997:138; Morrow authority” (Goodwin 1997:121) and 1998:94). With its remarks on “negative “without rule” (Heywood 2007), anar- freedom”2, anarchism rejects the idea and chism is totally against the state and gov- the practice of “social contract” that mod- ernment and all kinds of authority. In ern societies rest upon (Heywood contrast with the conventional conceptu- 2007:180): “No combined interests to alization of politics that started with Aris- manage... All interest and responsibilities totle’s claim that “Man is a political ani- must be entirely individualized...” (War- mal” which implies politics and society ren 1970 in Morrow, 1998:102). are inseparable and there is no escape For anarchism, mankind is “good” by from politics; anarchism asserts that nature and does not need any outside con- “state and society are completely separa- straints like law and religion. Since reli- ble” (Heywood 2007:121). “No govern- gion is a source of authority and since re- ment necessary for our welfare. Man a ligion produces “obedience and submis- social being: his wants and inclinations sion” (Heywood 2007:184), state and re- make for association and mutual effort... ligion work together for oppression by law and order the worst disorder” (Berk- “conforming standards of good and evil” man 2005:xxxiii). However, society is (Heywood 2007:184): “Religion, the “totally absorbed by the state” (Bakunin domination of the human mind; Property, 1937 in Morrow 1998:48). While society the domination of human needs; and emerges as a ‘natural formation’ (Good- Government, the domination of human win 1997:121) with its own rules and or- conduct, represent the stronghold of der, state is an “artificial manipulative man’s enslavement and all the horrors it force” (Goodwin 1997:121; Morrow entails” (Goldman 1911:59 in Morrow 1998:47) which is evil and unnecessary 1998:47). (Heywood 2007:178-81). Unlike the Instead of any legal system and of reli- Hobbesian conceptualization of state as gious standards, moral autonomy should the sole provider of the order, for anar- be the organising principle of society. For chists “order is an exclusively social phe- instance, anarchist thinker Max Stirner nomenon” (Morrow 1998:46). Thus, ra- took the ego as the basis of his philoso- ther than providing peace and order, the phy and argued that there should be no state is the main reason for inequality and constraints upon the ego (Morrow disorder (Morrow 1998:46).
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