Very few corporations are conservative, but most of them have a no tolerance policy on theft, and I can understand why. What are they supposed to do, create a chart listing appropriate punishments for varying levels of theft? How would they do that, by cost per theft, cumulative over various time periods, by item, say, a particular punishment tied to the theft of each individual item on the menu? It makes more sense to say If it ain't yours, don't take it.
By the way, I do believe Thou Shalt Not Steal to be a conservative principle.
I’ve worked in corporations most of my adult life. No one ever got punished, much less fired, for taking a paper clip. I did not mean to imply that corporations are “conservative.” I meant to say that this type of conservatism as expressed here at FR is waaaay too hardline for me.