Conservatism, Conservation, and the Environment

Aerial view of mining activity, at the Pantanal wetlands, in Mato Grosso state, Brazil, on March 8, 2018. The Pantanal is the largest wetland on the planet and is home to more than 4,000 species of plants and animals. Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images

Commentary

What is a conservative? In his entertaining “Devil’s Dictionary,” Ambrose Bierce defines it this way: “Conservative, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.”