Konzervativizmus és orientalizmus

This article is concerned with how the noted British conservative statesman of the 19th century, Benjamin Disraeli thought about the East. The first part of the study is dedicated to analyzing briefly the conservative political philosophy of Disraeli, to his incessant attacks of „whiggism”, the liberalism of his day. Then the author turns his attention to one of his novels, forming part of the famous Young England trilogy, Tancred or the New Crusade (1847) which is of key importance in respect of his ideas of the East. To put it very tersely, in this work he expresses his convinction that the West owes its civilization to the „oriental intellect”. The second part of the study analyses the assessment of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 by Disraeli. In keeping with his conservative principles he condemns the policy of the East India Company which regularly intervened in the internal affairs of its Indian allies and subjects. Contrary to most colonial politicians of the nineteenth century Disraeli held in high esteem the civilizations of the East and did not strive to radically transform them.