--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The basis of conservatism is a desire for…" description: "\"The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom...\" — Ronald Reagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg" --- # The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government… ![“The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom...” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg) > “The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom...” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conservatism seeks limited government, decentralization, and individual liberty. **In simple terms:** Conservatism favors less government control. Key Takeaway Advocate for personal freedom. Themes politics government freedom Mood reflective analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative debates - community organizing - business regulation - educational curricula Key Concepts libertarianism public policy Questions to Reflect On - How much government is necessary? - What freedoms matter most today? A Different Perspective Balancing freedom with public welfare is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Basis Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basis-conservatism-1222473/) [Centralized Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centralized-authority-1384048/) [Centralized government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/centralized-government/) [Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/) [Conservatism Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism-desire-3099191/) [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Great conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-conservative/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-freedom/) [Interference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interference/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Libertarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarianism/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [Conserving the individual is the basis of conservatism. It is classical, de Tocqueville liberalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-loesch/conserving-the-individual-is-the-basis-of-conservatism-it-is/) [Dana Loesch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-loesch/) > [Millions of individuals making their own decisions in the marketplace will always allocate resources better than any centralized government planning process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/millions-of-individuals-making-their-own-decisions-in-the-marketplace/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“About immigrants from Russia: Soviet consciousness overlapped with the new American spirits has formed a specific and divisive culture. This culture is full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-pevsner/about-immigrants-from-russia-soviet-consciousness-overlapped-with-the/) [Leo Pevsner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-pevsner/) > [Why is it that, as we grow older, we are so reluctant to change? It is not so much that new ideas are painful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-e-turner-2/why-is-it-that-as-we-grow-older-we-are-so-reluctant-to-change-it-is/) [Dale E Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-e-turner-2/) > [“It might therefore be better for the decentralization to be designed by a centralized authority, with the interest of the less advantaged or less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-v-banerjee/it-might-therefore-be-better-for-the-decentralization-to-be-designed/) [Abhijit V. Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-v-banerjee/) > [The real damper on employee engagement is the soggy, cold blanket of centralized authority. In most companies, power cascades downwards from the CEO. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/the-real-damper-on-employee-engagement-is-the-soggy-cold-blanket-of/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [“In other words, speed, innovation, and global focus happen only when lots of delegated authority sits alongside lots of centralized authority.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lowney/in-other-words-speed-innovation-and-global-focus-happen-only-when/) [Chris Lowney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lowney/) > [The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-greatest-advances-of-civilization-whether-in-architecture-or/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [We Conservatives believe not in big, interventionist, centralized government. But in small and limited government, government as close to the people as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxime-bernier/we-conservatives-believe-not-in-big-interventionist-centralized/) [Maxime Bernier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxime-bernier/) > [“One of the strangest assumptions of present-day mental models is the idea that world of moderation must be a world of strict, centralized government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-h-meadows/one-of-the-strangest-assumptions-of-present-day-mental-models-is-the/) [Donella H. Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-h-meadows/) > [Nonetheless, we continue to be obsessed with finding or inventing a European nation which, as in the nation state, guarantees homogeneity and thus an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrich-beck/nonetheless-we-continue-to-be-obsessed-with-finding-or-inventing-a/) [Ulrich Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrich-beck/) > [The siren song of redistribution of wealth by centralized government never ceases for those who seek irreversible and unusurpable control over the lives and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-jones/the-siren-song-of-redistribution-of-wealth-by-centralized-government/) [Josh Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-jones/) > [The economic miracle that has been the United States was not produced by socialized enterprises, by government-unon-industry cartels or by centralized economic planning. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-economic-miracle-that-has-been-the-united-states-was-not-produced/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The great advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science or literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-advances-of-civilization-whether-in-architecture-or/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [No centralized government, no matter how big, how smart or how powerful, can effectively and efficiently control much of society in a beneficial way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/no-centralized-government-no-matter-how-big-how-smart-or-how-powerful/) [Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ronald Reagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-for-less-government/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-for-less-government/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/ronald-reagan-119_authority_the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-fo_1140504.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more…” — Ronald Reagan", "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": "Ronald Reagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The basis of conservatism is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-for-less-government/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-basis-of-conservatism-is-a-desire-for-less-government/#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 } } ] } ```