In what is said in this discussion the expression “the Western World” is used in the sense that it has now acquired as embracing both the countries of Western Europe and the various countries throughout the world whose present population mainly emanated there from. The most important of such countries are North America and Australia; in these the societary values of Western Europe for the most part still prevail. All these countries are thus inter-connected by their culture, and also, importantly, by the fact that the government of none of them at present is an ideologised communist government. There is a certain relationship between them, which is outside mere materiality. With few exceptions they are all highly industrialized countries; Australia shares this characteristic with them. In this connexion they are known as “advanced” countries, a term they themselves have coined by which to distinguish themselves. All of them are committed to the prevailing dogma of continuous economic growth. .
The expression “conservatism” has two different meanings. Firstly, a purely political one, which is connected with positive public action. Secondly, a manner of thought and feeling, private and personal, from which flow the standards and values of the life—style of a society. The activity of political conservatism is, to a large extent, fed from conservative personal values, but by no means all of it. It is necessary to keep these two meanings of the term “conservatism” and “conservative” distinct. The second meaning is the one that leads the present discussion and controls it throughout.
