This position is essentially conservative and hierarchical in its
theory of society, although politically it may be liberal. Above
all, it values the knowledge and cultural tradition of the West,
for its own sake, and strives to conserve it. In particular it is
concerned with the pure elitist culture of the educated middle
and upper classes. Thus the position aims to conserve existing
cultural traditions and the associated social structures.
Underpinning these aims is the unquestioned assumption of a
hierarchical, stratified society , the structure inherited from the past.
This is seen to separate ‘gentle’ cultured persons from ‘common
folk’. The cultured elite are those fitted to rule society, for the
masses do not have the same finely balanced judgement. Society is
seen primarily as the means of conserving and creating high culture,
which provides the measure of its level of civilization.