“I think one of the great distinctions between the conservative, on one hand, and the liberal and radical, on the other, lies in the diverse reading of human nature.  The conservative thinks that there are situations in which a man needs to be protected against himself, and men need to be protected against themselves. Therefore, a simple expression of majority will is not always a good thing; is not always a final verdict on matters. For that reason, he tends to set a great store by traditional usages, and also by formulations such as constitutions, which represent settled opinions and, in a sense, directives.  In doing this, he, too, is interested in freedom; but I think the difference lies, as I mentioned a moment ago, in a different conception of human nature and a different evaluation of means.”

–Richard Weaver, 1955