VII. ‚Protestantische Freiheit‘ und konservative Repräsentationsmodelle

Abstract

Summary The article examines the genesis of Prussian Conservatism in general and its models of representation rooting in a concept of ‘Protestant freedom’ in particular. By focusing on Conservatives’ adaption of concepts of party and freedom in the first half of the nineteenth century, the article shows that conservative adaption of contemporary political language and concepts was not a mere attempt of regaining dominance in public discourse but was rooted in specific concepts of Christian and Protestant thought. The article shows that conservative models of representation and participation are primarily not motivated by an opposition to liberal political thought but first of all the result of a politicisation of religious thought.