Roger Scruton Quotes

It is something that most parents hope for in life: That their children will be moderately successful, polite, decent human beings. Anything on top of that is something you have no right to hope for, but we all do.

Conservatism by its very nature is compassionate.

Bono is my inspiration - not only as a rock star but as a humanitarian. We aren't just put on this earth to sell records. Maybe it's because of my upbringing, but I do consider myself a moral guy.

Technology challenges us to assert our human values, which means that first of all, we have to figure out what they are.

I try to be a good human being and keep up with what's going on in the world by reading and staying in touch with the current events.

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.

We either believe in the dignity of the individual, the rule of law, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, or we don't. There is no middle ground.

Young people are told that they are standing up for Christ and resisting America's sexualized culture by claiming virginity as a countercultural, radical stance.

It is the human being that was elected to bring values to the world.

Civilization depends on morality.

Seven social sins: politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice.

The government may be made up of clever, sensible people. But if they do not believe in basic human values, the more clever or shrewd they are the greater the tragedy they will create.

To fight evil one must also recognize one's own responsibility. The values for which we stand must be expressed in the way we think of, and how we deal with, our fellow humans.

Conservatism is about freedom, yes. But it is also about the institutions and attitudes that shape the responsible citizen, and ensure that freedom is a benefit to us all. Conservatism is therefore also about the limits to freedom.

The Republican Party I grew up in was a Republican Party of family unity.

I think that for social conservatism to make sense as a political world view, it has to have a more capacious understanding of what kind of society it wants than just saying, 'Leave us alone and let us pass laws against abortion.'

Let me give you a definition of ethics: It is good to maintain and further life it is bad to damage and destroy life.

I do think it's possible to have a conservative personality.

Coming from a country that's rapidly changing, I love the idea of a place like South Dakota where nothing has really changed.

Conserving the individual is the basis of conservatism. It is classical, de Tocqueville liberalism.

The Tory party is at is strongest when it is in tune with the hopes and aspirations of Britain's hard-working, law-abiding majority, and when it governs through clear Conservative principles.

If you're a conservative who thinks the culture wars are over (they're never really over, of course), then you are a lot more open to the idea of a unprincipled blowhard who promises he's got your back on political correctness.

I think that Gov. Huckabee is one of us. I know that a lot of the other candidates try to talk like evangelicals, but he's actually one of us. He believes like we do on all the issues, which energizes me as a voter.

If we want conservative principles to win the battle of ideas, we have to defend them openly, with passion and conviction.

I grew up in Spokane, Washington, in a very Christian, conservative home.