What does it mean to be a conservative in an age so sceptical of conservatism? How can we live in the presence of our 'canonized forefathers' at a time when their cultural, religious and political bequest is so routinely rejected? With soft left-liberalism as the dominant force in Western politics, what can conservatives now contribute to public debate that will not be dismissed as pure nostalgia? In this highly personal and witty book, renowned philosopher Roger Scruton explains how to live as a conservative in spite of the pressures to exist otherwise. Drawing on his own experience as a counter-cultural presence in public life, Scruton argues that while humanity might survive in the absence of the conservative outlook, it certainly won't flourish. How to be a Conservative is not only a blueprint for modern conservatism. It is a heartfelt appeal on behalf of old fashioned decencies and values, which are the bedrock of our weakened, but still enduring civilization.

Professor Roger Scruton is a graduate of Jesus College, Cambridge. He has been Professor of Aesthetics at Birkbeck College, London, and University Professor at Boston University. He is currently visiting professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford and Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington DC. He has published a large number of books, including some works of fiction, and has written and composed two operas. He writes regularly for The Times, the Telegraph, the Spectator and was for many years wine critic of the New Statesman.

Preface

1 My Journey
2 Starting from Home
3 The Truth in Nationalism
4 The Truth in Socialism
5 The Truth in Capitalism
6 The Truth in Liberalism
7 The Truth in Multiculturalism
8 The Truth in Environmentalism
9 The Truth in Internationalism
10 The Truth in Conservatism
11 Realms of Value
12 Practical Matters
13 A Valediction Forbidding Mourning but Admitting Loss

Index