Conservatism In 'The Starving Criminal'

As we know it, human civilization is no stranger to drastic changes and radical revolutions. Entire governments have been razed to the ground for a new type of society to emerge. When such an event occurs, a nation is bound to suffer heavy casualties in terms of their culture and traditions. During the Bolshevik Revolution of Russia, the entire Russian society has been reshaped down to the core. The old Tsarist government has been brought to an end, but it didn’t stop there. The people of Russia had completely abandoned their ancient culture and traditions in order to make place for the communism. With one stroke of a sharp knife, the Russians have severed all connections to their past. Conservatism is an ideology opposing such societal
Our passion and desire can easily override our reason therefore we are irrational beings. In “The Starving Criminal”, we can sense by his sarcastic tone that Dalrymple mocks the naivety of the British people who really believes that the solution to eradicate crime is to simply hand out vitamin supplements to criminals. Criminality is a complex problem with depth and scope; the people are so desperate to get rid of it that they’re ready to believe in a grossly simplified and completely irrelevant solution. This is an example of when desire override rationality Dalrymple makes to demonstrate his support for the conservative view of human nature. For conservatives freedom is a good thing but there are prerequisites before it becomes relevant. Liberty is very desirable but it can become harmful when misdirected or unrestrained2. Dalrymple uses this idea analogically in his text. He argued that prisoners, especially the ones suffering from malnutrition, shouldn’t be hurriedly set free as their misusage of freedom will cause greatly harm their health. Through incarceration they have a chance to recover their health. The entire essay is an indictment towards the extreme capitalistic society of modern Britain. In this type of society there is an excess attachment to wealth and material goods. Edmund Burke has said, society is like a fabric where different
Families are not as united as they once were, through selfishness and individualistic thought, family members cease to reaffirm their bonds. Without any sentimental attachment, parents start to neglect their children and won’t hesitate to sacrifice them for money. Without family, the passing of tradition has come to a halt. Without tradition people become lifeless and empty, which is reason why they cannot find happiness and their health starts degrading. Unlike the British families whose traditions are almost extinct, the Indian families remain very faithful to their roots. Their families frequently gather during meals allowing them to strengthen their bonds towards one another and pass down traditional virtues to their young ones. Although they’re far less wealthy than the British natives, these Indian immigrants live a far happier life and are much healthier. Traditions and cultures are invaluable perks in ones life; they provide you with a spirit and fill you with an essence that cannot be found anywhere else. Dalrymple