I agree with you that Matthew Arnold’s piece is a conservative one. Arnold wants to return to a time of eliminated classism and a sense of community where the public good and intellect are of the highest concern, instead of individualism and courage which are tearing apart society. This is a conservative doctrine, because many liberalists living in England during this time were advocating for a laissez faire approach to government. Meaning that a system of checks and balances is put into to place as a way to prevent an abuse of power, by keeping each individual’s actions in check. He states, “Our familiar praise of the British Constitution….a system which which stops and paralyses any power in interfering with the free action of individuals. That is why as Arnold argues that Britain implemented a system of check and balances to prevent anarchy. Arnold is saying that while a certain degree of freedom is important for a productive society, as well as human happiness, if everyone always did whatever they wanted without restraint there would be mass chaos, or anarchy. Arnold also states, “Our notion of its being the great right and happiness of an Englishman to do as far….we are in danger of drifting towards anarchy” (1597). Not only is this a selfish attitude, but it also invites the possibility of anarchy in society. This newfound English pride has placed a higher priority on fulfilling one’s own personal desires to benefit that person as an individual instead of the community. He states, “that it is a most happy and important thing for a man merely to be able to do as he likes” (1597).

Arnold also repeatedly blames the new English pride of doing what one likes has also contributed to increasing self serving behavior. the movement of modernity are one of the reasons that British society is more concerned with the concerns of their own individual class than society as a whole. According to Arnold the effects of laissez faire capitalism are to blame for the concern with self serving behavior in England’s society. Arnold accuses post industrialist England of being too concerned with self serving behavior, and not having any concern for the public good.

Arnold seems to yearn for a simpler time when one’s success was determined by the success of society as a whole, and not the success of one’s specific economic class. I think that Arnold’s views do seem to be primarily conservative, because he seems to condemn the liberal concept of thought.

Culture and anarchy