Modern conservatism is the product of a gradual merger between traditional holism and liberal individualism. As a result, what we now call conservative thought embodies a number of contradictory values and principles. Even individual conservatives find it hard to be consistent, with some, for example, proclaiming their reverence both for national traditions and for universal moral truths. The books reviewed in this article illustrate the remarkable diversity of conservative ideology, though the article concludes by arguing that the familiar distinction between ‘left’ and ‘right’ remains valid.
