I believe the greatest accomplishment of political philosophy is natural law. Natural law is defined as a body of unchanging moral principles regarded as a basis for all human conduct; an observable law relating to natural phenomena. Two of the great philosophers of the past who defined natural law are – Thomas Aquinas and John Locke. They were influenced by Roman law, Greek philosophy and ancient Buddhist texts; also by Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero’s writings. Natural law is a philosophy that certain rights or values are inherent and can be universally understood through human reason. Historically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze both social and personal human nature to deduce rules for moral behavior. Natural law theorist’s believe that humans have an innate ability to know what is naturally right. An example of natural law is: it is universally accepted that to kill someone is wrong, and that to punish someone for killing that person is right, and necessary. Some other examples of Natural Law are the first & second law of thermodynamics, gravity, and the golden rule. The political philosophers of history who defined natural law set the precedent for America’s belief that rights are inherent. Our rights are inherent by what or whom? That’s an answer we come to by faith. Conservative principles align with natural law theorists, and history’s greatest political philosophers, in defining rights as inherent. Government is believed to protect natural rights. Unnatural rights, such as abortion and gay marriage are man-made and therefore not guaranteed. In fact, proponents of unnatural rights directly assault the rationale that sustains our judicial system and our society, because natural law (natural rights) is the only way to ensure a consistent unchanging set of moral principles that can be enforced to govern society fairly.

Conservative principles align with history. The Founding Fathers accepted natural law and believed it was the only political philosophy that was capable of creating a free and just society. The evidence of their widespread acceptance of natural law is found in the following documents: The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Articles of Confederation. Evidence is also found in the Pledge of Allegiance. Every time these documents reference God it is in the context of establishing man’s rights and recognizes their belief in inherent rights. The Founding Fathers knew our rights must be inherent from a higher power, because they believed deeply that if men established rights, men can also take away rights; something they experienced first-hand and a driving force of the Revolutionary War. They believed that men were easily corrupted by power and that if rights were inherent no one, not man, not society, not government could ever strip people of their rights and freedom. Conservative principles recognize that rights are inherent (by the Creator). This belief held by the Founding Father’s is the foundation of the freedom we’ve long enjoyed.

Denouncing natural law and the achievements of the political philosophers throughout history is equivalent to denouncing Einstein’s greatest achievements. If we chose to ignore the achievements of these great philosophers, we are not progressing into something better, we are in fact moving backwards.

If we, as a nation, forget that our rights are inherent (from God), if we as a nation continue to denounce the greatest philosophical works of the past, the foundation of our legal system, the only consistent path to “right and wrong,” what will stop injustice from prevailing and what will stop us from losing freedom?

Conservative principles are not outdated, they are grounded in the only philosophy that produces  unchanging moral principles.