Friedrich August von Hayek’s Critique of Conservatism Cover Image

Friedricha Augusta von Hayeka krytyka konserwatyzmu
Friedrich August von Hayek’s Critique of Conservatism

Author(s): Halina Šimo
Subject(s): Philosophy, Philosophical Traditions, Political Philosophy
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego
Keywords: F.A. von Hayek; conservatism; liberalism; classical liberalism; whiggism; libertarianism; freedom; social change

Summary/Abstract: The article analyzes Friedrich August von Hayek’s critique of conservatism. Hayek explores this theme in his essay Why I am not a Conservative. Aiming to clarify that he is not a conservative, as some commentators suggest, he delineates the differences between conservatism and classical liberalism. The article examines Hayek’s arguments, discussing the conservative aversion to change, which positions them as weak defenders of liberty, and topics like the conservative emphasis on authority, attitude towards democracy, incorporating ethics and religion into politics, and introducing mysticism into societal considerations. This paper evaluates the validity of the criticisms by contrasting Hayek’s theses with views from selected conservative thinkers. The analysis concludes that Hayek’s libertarian approach contrasts significantly with conservative preservationism. Hayek, accurately capturing the logic of conservative and classical liberal thinking, provides a framework for classifying various concepts within these two ideological streams

  • Issue Year: 2025
  • Issue No: 69
  • Page Range: 117-138
  • Page Count: 22
  • Language: Polish
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