Nick Cohen Conservatives?

In the course of a very good article on The Spirit Level, Nick Cohen writes:

"Since the 18th century, liberal and a few conservative thinkers have believed that a sturdy and autonomous citizenry that does not need to bow, beg or scrape before its alleged superiors produces the strongest society."

"A few"? All, by definition. Anyone who does not believe that is not a conservative. Including anyone who supports capitalism. And including anyone who bows, begs or scrapes before the eighteenth century, or at least before the features of it that Cohen undoubtedly has in mind.

In which vein, and in the midst of much reviewing of Red Plenty, the real point is that both the capitalist and the Marxist definition of human happiness and fulfilment in terms of ever more stuff is, in itself, the problem.