Attila was not pushing ahead for change. He destroyed the towns and villages as he passed thereby putting things back to the way they USED to be. A most conservative point of view.
Alaric merely TOLD people he was trying to save Rome so they would leave him alone while he sacked the city. Apparently they believed him.
But then it's never been hard to fool a liberal. They'll believe almost anything.
Regarding the safety harness, I couldn't agree with you more. The British seem to have a defeatist attitude about some things. I mean Tony Blair. Well I ask you.
The true conservative is, above all, a survivor. We survived FDR and Bill Clinton.
We can survive anything except being in power. The present situation would worry me but GWB is really a centrist so we'll be OK.
I hope this clears up any questions you may have had.
Forward into the past!

troll