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Monday, June 30, 2014

G.K. Chesterton's Call For Constant Revolution


G.K. Chesteron
Radical conservative?

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Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Wikipedia

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Alan: I have never settled my view of G.K. Chesterton's political philosophy. 

On one occasion he disclaimed liberalism, saying he had not deserted liberalism but liberalism had deserted him. 

In the following quotation, Chesterton says that the basis of "all conservatism" is wrong. 

"All conservatism is based on the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white fence post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution. Briefly, if you want the old white post you must have a new white post."

What is consistently clear is Chesterton's belief in continual revolution and his championship of human agency as the linchpin of incarnating God's kingdom rather than just talking about it.

"The work of heaven alone is material; the making of a material world. 
The work of hell is entirely spiritual."

Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Quotation Compendium
(and more)



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