---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conservatism is the worship of dead…"
description: "\"Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.\" — Clinton Rossiter"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png"
---

#  Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.

![“Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.” quote by Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png)

> “Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.”

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Conservatism clings to outdated revolutionary ideals, treating them as sacred relics rather than living principles.

**In simple terms:** Preserving obsolete revolutions.

Key Takeaway

Tradition can become dogma.

Themes

tradition political ideology historical continuity skepticism cultural inertia

Mood

reflective critical cynical

Type

aphorism political commentary

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- academic debate
- policy analysis
- media commentary

Key Concepts

revolutionary legacy political identity social change

Practical Applications

- critical essays
- lecture content

Questions to Reflect On

- What makes a revolution become 'dead' for conservatives?
- How can societies balance reverence for past upheavals with present needs?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Revolutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutions/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/)

## Related quotes

> [Conservatism is the blind and fear-filled worship of dead radicals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/conservatism-is-the-blind-and-fear-filled-worship-of-dead-radicals/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Where feelings for God are dead, worship is dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/where-feelings-for-god-are-dead-worship-is-dead/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [The engagement of the heart in worship is the coming alive of the feelings and emotions and affections of the heart. Where feelings for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-engagement-of-the-heart-in-worship-is-the-coming-alive-of-the/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [It's better to fade away like an old soldier than to burn out. I don't appreciate worship of dead Sid Vicious or of dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/it-s-better-to-fade-away-like-an-old-soldier-than-to-burn-out-i-don-t/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Christians worship a dead Jew on a stick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/christians-worship-a-dead-jew-on-a-stick/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [Conservatives are those who worship dead radicals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rehnquist/conservatives-are-those-who-worship-dead-radicals/)

[William Rehnquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rehnquist/)

> [In the end, the difference between Conservatism and Liberalism seems to be this: the Conservative thinks of liberty as something to be preserved, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/in-the-end-the-difference-between-conservatism-and-liberalism-seems/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [“Imagine a world where people were 10% happier and less reactive. Marriage, parenting, road rage, politics - all would be improved upon. Public health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/imagine-a-world-where-people-were-10-happier-and-less-reactive/)

[Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/)

> [There were two, three or four French Revolutions. Like a multi-stage rocket today, the Revolution involved several successive explosions and propellant thrusts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernand-braudel/there-were-two-three-or-four-french-revolutions-like-a-multi-stage/)

[Fernand Braudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernand-braudel/)

> [The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-danger-to-which-the-success-of-revolutions-is-most-exposed-is/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [The revolutions of thought which shape the basic outlook of an age are not disseminated through text-books- they spread like epidemics, through contamination by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-revolutions-of-thought-which-shape-the-basic-outlook-of-an-age/)

[Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/)

> [Music used to cause revolutions and I'm not seeing much revolution anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/music-used-to-cause-revolutions-and-i-m-not-seeing-much-revolution/)

[Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/)

> [“Don't be afraid to go left when the world is going right. The French learned that the people have power to make change, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-r-lemieux/don-t-be-afraid-to-go-left-when-the-world-is-going-right-the-french/)

[Martin R. Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-r-lemieux/)

> [History respects revolutions; and yet, if a revolution is progressive, support it; if it is reactionary, resist it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/history-respects-revolutions-and-yet-if-a-revolution-is-progressive/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“For similar reasons, archaic humans did not initiate any revolutions. As far as we can tell, changes in social patterns, the invention of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/for-similar-reasons-archaic-humans-did-not-initiate-any-revolutions/)

[Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/)

## More by Clinton Rossiter

> [In the end, the difference between Conservatism and Liberalism seems to be this: the Conservative thinks of liberty as something to be preserved, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/in-the-end-the-difference-between-conservatism-and-liberalism-seems/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [The establishment of religious freedom was no less momentous an achievement than the clearing of the great forest or the winning of independence, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/the-establishment-of-religious-freedom-was-no-less-momentous-an/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [No America without democracy, no democracy without politics no politics without parties, no parties without compromise and moderation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/no-america-without-democracy-no-democracy-without-politics-no/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [The most momentous fact about the pattern of American politics is that we live under a persistent, obdurate, one might almost say tyrannical, two-party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/the-most-momentous-fact-about-the-pattern-of-american-politics-is/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [The image the Republicans have of themselves needs the image they have of the Democrats to bring it into sharp focus. The Democrats are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/the-image-the-republicans-have-of-themselves-needs-the-image-they/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [A gathering of Democrats is more sweaty, disorderly, offhand, and rowdy than a gathering of Republicans; it is also likely to be more cheerful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/a-gathering-of-democrats-is-more-sweaty-disorderly-offhand-and-rowdy/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [An annual or frequent choice of Magistrates, who in a year, or in a few years, are again left upon a level with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/an-annual-or-frequent-choice-of-magistrates-who-in-a-year-or-in-a-few/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [There is "no happiness without liberty, no liberty without self-government, no self-government without constitutionalism, no constitutionalism without morality--and none of these great goods without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/there-is-no-happiness-without-liberty-no-liberty-without-self/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [No form of government can survive that excludes dictatorship when the life of the nation is at stake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/no-form-of-government-can-survive-that-excludes-dictatorship-when-the/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [The final greatness of the presidency lies in the truth that it is not just an office of incredible power but a breeding ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/the-final-greatness-of-the-presidency-lies-in-the-truth-that-it-is/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [The Americans of 1776 were among the first men in modern society to defend rather than to seek an open society and constitutional liberty……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/the-americans-of-1776-were-among-the-first-men-in-modern-society-to/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [Dictatorship played a decisive role in the North's successful effort to maintain the Union by force of arms...one man was the government of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/dictatorship-played-a-decisive-role-in-the-north-s-successful-effort/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

> [Even if a government can be constitutional without being democratic, it cannot be democratic without being constitutional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/even-if-a-government-can-be-constitutional-without-being-democratic/)

[Clinton Rossiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

[Explore all 14 Clinton Rossiter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/)

## More Conservatism quotes

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [“Conservatism aims to maintain in working order the loyalties of the community to perceived truths and also to those truths which in their judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr-2/conservatism-aims-to-maintain-in-working-order-the-loyalties-of-the/)

[William F. Buckley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr-2/)

> [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/)

[Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/)

> [Conservatism is affecting the way women perceive who they are in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/conservatism-is-affecting-the-way-women-perceive-who-they-are-in-the/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

> [Admirers can be a tremendous force for conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/admirers-can-be-a-tremendous-force-for-conservatism/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [Conservatism defends those coercive arrangements which a still-lingering savageness makes requisite. Radicalism endeavours to realize a state more in harmony with the character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/conservatism-defends-those-coercive-arrangements-which-a-still/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [Conservatism is about the basic rights of individuals. God created us. As far as the government goes, the Founding Fathers based the Constitution off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/conservatism-is-about-the-basic-rights-of-individuals-god-created-us/)

[Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/)

> [A liberal is only a bundle of prejudices until he has mastered, has understood, experienced the philosophy of Conservatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/a-liberal-is-only-a-bundle-of-prejudices-until-he-has-mastered-has/)

[Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/)

> [“At the time, he told his children to watch themselves, to understand that the tides of conservatism came and went and if they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/at-the-time-he-told-his-children-to-watch-themselves-to-understand/)

[Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/)

> [Weirdly, there have been a lot of critics of conservatism, but very few critics of innovation. As a culture, we are deeply paranoid about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/weirdly-there-have-been-a-lot-of-critics-of-conservatism-but-very-few/)

[Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/)

> [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

> [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/)

[Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/)

> [Social and cultural change, however desirable, should not be effected by the engines of national power. Let us, through persuasion and education, seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/social-and-cultural-change-however-desirable-should-not-be-effected/)

[Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/)

> [If Theresa May is big enough to admit her mistakes and put a kinder Conservatism into the heart of her government, she may survive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-soubry/if-theresa-may-is-big-enough-to-admit-her-mistakes-and-put-a-kinder/)

[Anna Soubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-soubry/)

> [Conservatism is an active intellectual pursuit; it requires a constant vigilance. It has nothing to do with feelings. Liberalism is the most gutless choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/conservatism-is-an-active-intellectual-pursuit-it-requires-a-constant/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

[Browse all 522 Conservatism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Clinton Rossiter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revolutions/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Conservatism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revolutions/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5d/clinton-rossiter-33874_conservatism_conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revo_45703.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Conservatism is the worship of dead revolutions.” — Clinton Rossiter",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Clinton Rossiter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clinton-rossiter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Conservatism is the worship of dead...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revolutions/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-rossiter/conservatism-is-the-worship-of-dead-revolutions/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
