"Both Plato and Aristotle were conservatives in the more important of two possible senses of the term. Both, that is, were “substantive” conservatives. Substantive conservatism refers to the belief in the essential rightness of a certain type of society; or the belief that society is essentially a differentiated whole in which each part has an assigned duty that follows from its natural function and limitations. For the substantive conservative politics becomes the pursuit of an objectively true moral end. The individual will not be able to fulfill him/herself without finding and accepting his/her rightful place within the social whole. These places will be “higher” or “lower”, carrying different types and degrees of responsibility and dignity."
in https://www.yorku.ca/horowitz/courses/lectures/12_political_animal....
