Changes

==History==

==History==

The modern conservative movement can be traced to [[Edmund Burke]], a British politician who provided a statement of his ideology in ''Reflections on the Revolution in France'' (1790).<ref>Kirk, Russell, ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Elliot'', p. 6. "Conscious conservatism, in the modern sense, did not manifest itself until 1790, with the publication of ''Reflections on the Revolution in France''.</ref> Burke's views were developed in response to the social reengineering projects of the French revolutionaries. Burke was a Whig and a supporter the American Revolution. His political position was to the left of the Tories, who supported royal authority and opposed the revolution. Liberals may identify conservatism with right-wing views. But as this example illustrates, conservatives are not necessarily the most right-wing group on the political spectrum. According to Burke, "change is the means of our preservation." So the idea that conservatives oppose all change is another liberal canard.

The modern conservative movement can be traced to [[Edmund Burke]], a British politician who provided a statement of his ideology in ''Reflections on the Revolution in France'' (1790).<ref>Kirk, Russell, ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Elliot'', ACLS Humanities E-Book; 7 Revised edition (August 1, 2008), p. 6. "Conscious conservatism, in the modern sense, did not manifest itself until 1790, with the publication of ''Reflections on the Revolution in France''.</ref> Burke's views were developed in response to the social reengineering projects of the French revolutionaries. Burke was a Whig and a supporter the American Revolution. His political position was to the left of the Tories, who supported royal authority and opposed the revolution. Liberals may identify conservatism with right-wing views. But as this example illustrates, conservatives are not necessarily the most right-wing group on the political spectrum. According to Burke, "change is the means of our preservation." So the idea that conservatives oppose all change is another liberal canard.

Since America lacks an aristocracy or an established church, the tradition that American conservatives defend is not simple to define. Schneider identifies American conservatism with support of republicanism, "the rule of law and the Christian religion," and a defense of "Western civilization from the challenges of modernist culture and totalitarian governments."<ref name="Schneider" />

Since America lacks an aristocracy or an established church, the tradition that American conservatives defend is not simple to define. Schneider identifies American conservatism with support of republicanism, "the rule of law and the Christian religion," and a defense of "Western civilization from the challenges of modernist culture and totalitarian governments."<ref name="Schneider" />

The rise of labor unions in the late the nineteenth century led to renewed ideological struggle. With the Pullman strike of 1894, the nation was again split into liberal and conservative camps. In the 1896 presidential election, "populist" William Jennings Bryan ousted President [[Grover Cleveland]], a conservative icon, as the Democratic Party's nominee. Cleveland's supporters fled to the Republican Party to support William McKinley, who won the general election. In this way, the Republicans became a conservative pro-business party, the party of "sound money and protection." The 1896 election proved to be a watershed event that would define the positions of the two major parties for generations.

The rise of labor unions in the late the nineteenth century led to renewed ideological struggle. With the Pullman strike of 1894, the nation was again split into liberal and conservative camps. In the 1896 presidential election, "populist" William Jennings Bryan ousted President [[Grover Cleveland]], a conservative icon, as the Democratic Party's nominee. Cleveland's supporters fled to the Republican Party to support William McKinley, who won the general election. In this way, the Republicans became a conservative pro-business party, the party of "sound money and protection." The 1896 election proved to be a watershed event that would define the positions of the two major parties for generations.

President [[Woodrow Wilson]], a Democrat, used World War I as a pretext to impose his "progressive" agenda, including increased federal economic control. Americans reacted by voting for Harding and "normalcy" in 1920. The election of 1924 was the "high tide" of American conservatism, with both major party nominees for president espousing conservative views.<ref>Garland S. Tucker III, ''The High Tide of American Conservatism: Davis, Coolidge and the 1924 Election'' (2010)</ref> The 1920s was also a golden age of conservative writing. Irving Babbitt wrote the classic ''Democracy and Leadership'' (1924), while H. L. Mencken edited ''The American Mercury''.

President [[Woodrow Wilson]], a Democrat, used World War I as a pretext to impose his "progressive" agenda, including increased federal economic control. Americans reacted by voting for Harding and "normalcy" in 1920. The election of 1924 was the "high tide" of American conservatism, with both major party nominees for president espousing conservative views.<ref>Tucker III, Garland S., ''The High Tide of American Conservatism: Davis, Coolidge and the 1924 Election'' (2010)</ref> The 1920s was also a golden age of conservative writing. Irving Babbitt wrote the classic ''Democracy and Leadership'' (1924), while H. L. Mencken edited ''The American Mercury''.

==References==

==References==