Conservatism is Merely Liberalism in Disguise – A Macintyrian Argument and Non-Relativistic, Depolarizing Solution

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https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112496.99-114

Autor/ Author: Samuel Štefan Mahút      

In: RONČÁKOVÁ, Terézia a DORKOVÁ, Beáta (eds.). (De)polarizácia na Slovensku II. Online. Ružomberok: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku, 2026. ISBN 978-80-561-1249-6. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112496

ISBN: 978-80-561-1249-6

Strany/ Page Range: 99-114

Rok vydania/ Publication Year: 2026

Jazyk/ Language: Slovak

Vydavateľ/ Publisher: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku

Abstrakt/ Abstract: In contemporary media and social discourse, liberalism and conservatism are often viewed as two opposing political ideologies. Drawing on the philosophy of Alasdair MacIntyre, the aim of this paper is, on the one hand, to show that the core principles of contemporary conservatism are open to the same criticisms as those levelled at contemporary liberalism, and second, to offer a solution that consists in moving beyond these two positions in order to establish Aristotelian-style local communities. However, as establishing such communities is largely unfeasible in today‘s world, the conclusion recommends to at least promote the principle of subsidiarity or the decentralization of state power; these are, in fact, the first steps in the effort to reduce undesirable polarization and the moral relativism practiced in contemporary society.

Kľúčové slová/ Keywords: Liberalism. Conservatism. Alasdair MacIntyre. Local communities. Depolarization.

Citácia/ How to cite:
MAHÚT, Samuel Štefan, 2026. Konzervativizmus je vlastne len prezlečený liberalizmus – macintyrovská argumentácia a nerelativistické, depolarizačné riešenie. In: (De)polarizácia na Slovensku II.  Online. Ružomberok: VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku, 2026, s. 99-114. ISBN 978-80-561-1249-6.  Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.54937/2026.9788056112496.99-114

Toto dielo je publikované pod/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Príspevok publikovaný v rámci projektu VEGA č. 1/0354/24 „Pluralita a relativizmus v súčasnej filozofii“.
This paper was produced within the framework of the VEGA grant project No. 1/0354/24, "Plurality
and Relativism in Contemporary Philosophy".