Difference between revisions of "Conservative"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
JosephSmith (talk | contribs) m |
(→Lincoln to Cleveland: further copy-edit improvements) |
||
| (404 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | A '''conservative''' | + | {{See also|movement conservative}} |
| + | {{See also|Greatest Conservative Sports Stars}} | ||
| + | A '''conservative''' promotes [[moral]] and [[economic]] values beneficial to all. A desire to help others voluntarily, without compulsion, is a goal: "political conservatives are significantly more [[charity|charitable]] than [[liberals]]."<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0049089X21000752</ref> A conservative is often willing to learn and advocate the insights of the [[Bible]], and favors conserving value by not giving wasteful handouts to those who do not need them. Conservatives are innovative, such as [[Romanticism]] and [[supply-side economics]]. '''''Conservative reasoning and values help overcome personal [[addiction]]s - for yourself, your family, your friends, and your neighbors'''''. | ||
| − | + | A conservative typically adheres to principles of personal [[responsibility]], moral values, and [[limited government]], agreeing with [[George Washington]]'s [[Farewell Address]] that "[[religion]] and [[morality]] are indispensable supports" to political prosperity.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/49.htm United States Department of State] George Washington, farewell address, 1796</ref><ref>[[Merriam-Webster]]'s Online Dictionary has the following definition of conservative: "tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions: TRADITIONAL"[http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/conservative] Therefore, a conservative Christian would tend to adhere to the morally sound doctrines of the early Christianity and [[Judeo-Christian]] values.</ref> '''''Conservatives adopt principles that help themselves and others in healthy ways, including self-improvement'''''. | |
| − | + | [[Conservative populism]] and [[Religious conservatism and politics|religious conservatism]] promote [[social conservatism]]. '''''Conservatives reject [[political correctness]], [[liberal logic]], and [[liberal denial]]'''''. | |
| − | + | [[Viktor Orban]], [[Hungary]]'s prime minister, put it this way: "The main division line is not according to ideologies, it’s deeper. It’s has an anthropological character. So on one side, in [[Europe]] and probably in [the [[U.S.]]] but in Europe definitely, there are groups of people who think that the most important thing in the world is their ego, themselves, me. … The other part of the society think that that’s not true. Because there are certain things that are more important in society than me, than my ego: family, nation, [[God]]."<ref>https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1696643892253466712</ref> | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | [[Phil Crane]], the leading conservative congressman in the [[House]] from 1969 to 2005, urged people to make the world a better place than where they found it, and quoted frequently from the [[Bible]] in pursuit of that goal.<ref>http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-phil-crane-obituary-20141109-story.html</ref> | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | + | Former President [[Ronald Reagan]] said, "The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom."<ref>http://www.reason.com/news/show/29318.html</ref> | |
| + | [[File:460px-Calvin Coolidge photo portrait head and shoulders.jpg|200px|thumb|[[Calvin Coolidge]], the 30th President of the United States, was a conservative who said, "Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong."]] | ||
| − | == | + | ==Goals and principles== |
| − | + | {{main|Modern conservatism}} | |
| − | |||
| − | + | Specifically, conservatives seek or support: | |
| − | |||
| − | + | * Support for [[Natural Law]], [[unalienable rights]], [[republicanism]], and [[Americanism]] | |
| + | * [[Limited government]] | ||
| + | * [[Capitalism]] and [[free market]]s | ||
| + | * [[Classroom prayer]] | ||
| + | * Respect for human life and prohibition of [[abortion]] | ||
| + | * [[Abstinence]] education | ||
| + | * Traditional [[marriage]], not [[same-sex "marriage"]] | ||
| + | * The concept of retribution for crimes, including the [[death penalty]] for heinous murders proven beyond reasonable doubt | ||
| + | * [[Family values]], including traditional relationships and division of labor within the household | ||
| + | * Respect for differences between men and women, boys and girls | ||
| + | * Laws against [[pornography]] | ||
| + | * [[First Amendment]] rights to [[free speech]] and [[religious freedom]] | ||
| + | * The [[Second Amendment]] right to keep and bear arms | ||
| + | * Economic allocative efficiency (as opposed to popular equity) | ||
| + | * Parental control of education ([[parental rights]]) | ||
| + | * Private medical care and retirement plans | ||
| + | * Canceling failed social support programs | ||
| + | * Opposition to [[globalism]], [[one-world government]], and the [[War on Sovereignty]] | ||
| + | * [[Economic nationalism]] over globalist [[free trade|"free" trade]] | ||
| + | * Valuing [[patriotism]], [[self-governance]], and [[sovereignty]] | ||
| + | * [[Border wall|Border security]] and enforcement of strong [[immigration]] laws, opposition to mass migration and [[open borders]] | ||
| + | * Respect for our military, both past and present | ||
| + | * Rejection of [[fake science]] such as [[evolution]] and [[global warming]] | ||
| + | * Minimal taxation | ||
| + | * [[Federalism]] (Separation of powers among the National, State and Local governments) | ||
| + | * Favoring [[states' rights]] over federal power, while accepting the Constitutional role of the federal government, and favoring [[subsidiarity]] | ||
| + | * Opposition to [[big government]] and the [[Nanny State]] | ||
| + | * A strong national defense | ||
| + | * An [[Originalism|Originalist]] and [[Textualism|Textualist]] interpretation of the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]], and strong opposition to [[judicial activism]] | ||
| + | * A dedication to the truth, and an ability to seek it | ||
| + | * Ending [[entitlement]] programs | ||
| + | * Voluntary charity to those in genuine need | ||
| + | __TOC__ <!--Do not remove this. We want to keep the insights on the first screen of viewing--> | ||
| − | -- | + | ==List of prominent conservatives== |
| + | ===Movement=== | ||
| + | [[Movement conservatives]] are those who accept the logic of conservatism across-the-board, and stand up for its powerful principles despite [[liberal]] ridicule. Movement conservative activists in the U.S. include: | ||
| + | * [[Phyllis Schlafly]], defeated the [[ERA]] | ||
| + | * [[Larry McDonald]], Congressman, on board [[KAL 007]] when shot down by the Soviets near [[Moneron Island]]. | ||
| + | * [[Jesse Helms]], Senator, specialist in foreign policy | ||
| + | * [[Alan Keyes]], ambassador and commentator | ||
| + | * [[Jim Jordan]], [[Thomas Massie]], [[Steve King]], [[Tom Tancredo]], and [[Dave Brat]], Congressmen | ||
| + | * [[Pat Buchanan]], commentator and presidential candidate | ||
| + | * [[Thomas Sowell]], economist and commentator | ||
| + | * [[Jerry Falwell]], religion | ||
| + | * [[Tucker Carlson]], commentator | ||
| + | * [[Ann Coulter]], commentator | ||
| + | * [[Michelle Malkin]], blogger and columnist | ||
| + | * [[Roy Moore]], judge | ||
| + | * [[Rand Paul]], Senator | ||
| + | * [[Josh Hawley]], Senator | ||
| + | * [[Kris Kobach]], state official | ||
| + | * [[Michele Bachmann]], Congresswoman | ||
| + | * [[Ron DeSantis]], Governor of Florida | ||
| + | * [[George S. Patton]], Four-Star WWII General | ||
| − | + | ===Presidents=== | |
| − | [[ | + | Periodically, a conservative has been elected [[President of the United States of America|President of the United States]]. The most prominent conservative presidents include: |
| + | * [[George Washington]] (1789–1797) | ||
| + | * [[James Monroe]] (1817–1825) | ||
| + | * [[Grover Cleveland]] (1885–1889, 1893–1897) | ||
| + | * [[Warren G. Harding]] (1921–1923) | ||
| + | * [[Calvin Coolidge]] (1923–1929) | ||
| + | * [[Dwight D Eisenhower]] (1953–1961) | ||
| + | * [[Ronald Reagan]] (1981–1989) | ||
| + | * [[Donald Trump]] (2017–2021, 2025–) | ||
| − | + | The most prominent conservative Congresses have been: | |
| − | The | ||
| − | + | * The 80th Congress (elected in 1946) | |
| − | + | * The 104th Congress (elected in 1994) | |
| − | ' | + | ===Key leaders=== |
| + | * [[Robert Taft]] — U.S. Senator, leader of the [[Conservative Coalition]], and unsuccessful 1948 presidential candidate | ||
| + | * [[Barry Goldwater]] — 1964 Republican candidate, lost to liberal Democrat [[Lyndon Johnson]] but revived the conservative movement inside the GOP | ||
| + | * [[Russell Kirk]] — Theorist & intellectual | ||
| + | * [[Robert Bork]] — legal scholar, government official, and unsuccessful Supreme Court nominee | ||
| + | * [[Margaret Thatcher]] — British prime minister between 1979 and 1990; held views similar to Reagan's | ||
| + | * [[Milton Friedman]] — Chicago-school [[libertarian]] [[economist]], influential during Reagan administration; leader of the [[Chicago School of Economics]] | ||
| + | * [[Clarence Thomas]] — Supreme Court justice | ||
| + | * [[James C. Ho]] — Federal judge, thought leader for judicial originalism | ||
| − | + | ===Hall of Fame=== | |
| − | + | Conservative scholar Clinton Rossiter<ref>Rossiter, "The Giants of American Conservatism," ''American Heritage'' 1955 6(6): 56-59, 94-96, online in [[EBSCO]]</ref> names [[Alexander Hamilton]], [[John Adams]], [[John Marshall]], [[Daniel Webster]], [[John C. Calhoun]], [[Elihu Root]], and [[Theodore Roosevelt]] to the "Conservative's Hall of Fame," with John Adams as the greatest of American conservatives—a dubious choice since President Adams was an ardent opponent of [[free speech]] to criticize government. | |
| − | |||
| − | + | ==U.S. voters== | |
| + | In America, most conservatives support the [[Republican Party]], but not exclusively so. In the 2008 election, 35% of the voters identified themselves as conservatives. Of them, 78% voted for [[John McCain]] and 20% for [[Barack Hussein Obama]], with the 20% accounting for Obama's margin of victory. Only 22% of the voters were liberal; they favored Obama 89%-10%. In the middle were 44% who called themselves moderates. They split for Obama by 60%-39%. (Minor candidates won 2% of the vote.)<ref>See [https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1 Presidential 2008 Exit Poll]</ref> | ||
| + | [[File:Russell Kirk.jpg|thumbnail|300px|[[Russell Kirk]] was an American political theorist, conservative intellectual, historian of ideas, social critic, and man of letters, who is best known for his role in the American conservative movement. ]] | ||
| + | Conservatives generally understand liberals better than liberals understand conservatives.<ref>[https://theindependentwhig.com/haidt-passages/haidt/conservatives-understand-liberals-better-than-liberals-understand-conservatives/ Haidt: Conservatives Understand Liberals Better Than Liberals Understand Conservatives]. ''The Independent Whig''. Retrieved November 13, 2019.</ref> | ||
| − | + | ===Religious differences between political conservatives and political liberals=== | |
| + | The Barna poll conducted in November 2008 shows significant differences between the 32% of Americans who called themselves “mostly conservative” on social and political matters and the 17% who called themselves “mostly liberal” on social and political matters. The others—50%—were moderates with positions somewhere in between.<ref>See [http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/13-culture/258-survey-shows-how-liberals-and-conservatives-differ-on-matters-of-faith on line results]</ref> | ||
| − | + | Some findings: | |
| + | Political liberals are less than half as likely as political conservatives to firmly believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches (27% versus 63%, respectively); to strongly believe that [[Satan]] is real (17% versus 36%); and to firmly contend that they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others (23% versus 48%). | ||
| − | + | [Note: "Liberal" and "conservative" in this survey are based on politics] | |
| − | + | Liberals are also far less likely than conservatives to strongly believe each of the following: | |
| + | *their religious faith is very important in their life (54% of liberals vs. 82% of conservatives); | ||
| + | *a person cannot earn their way into [[Heaven]] by doing good deeds or being a good person (23% vs. 37%); | ||
| + | *their faith is becoming an increasingly important moral guide in their life (38% vs. 70%); | ||
| + | *the church they currently attend is very important in helping them find direction and fulfillment in life (37% vs. 62%); | ||
| + | *their primary purpose in life is to love God with all their heart, mind, strength and soul (43% vs. 76%); | ||
| − | {| | + | political conservatives were more likely than liberals to: |
| − | |- | + | *read the Bible, other than at church events, during the past week (57% vs. 33%, respectively) |
| − | + | *attend a religious service during the past week (62% vs. 35%) | |
| − | + | *[[pray]] to God, other than at a religious service, during the past week (91% vs. 76%) | |
| − | + | *share their religious beliefs with others during the past year (56% vs. 39%, among the born again Christians interviewed from each segment) | |
| − | + | *have ever participated in a short-term missions trip, either within the U.S. or in another country (12% vs. 6%) | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | *2% of conservatives and 11% of liberals were [[Atheism|atheist]] or [[agnostic]] | |
| − | | | + | *15% of conservatives and 2% of liberals were [[Evangelical Christians|Christian evangelicals]] |
| − | + | *conservatives were twice as likely as liberals to be categorized as [[born again]], based on their theological views about salvation (63% vs. 32%) | |
| − | | | + | *21% of conservatives were associated with the [[Roman Catholic Church]], compared to 30% among the liberals. |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | == Conservative organizations == | |
| − | | | + | {{See also|Major conservative organizations}} |
| − | | | + | Several organizations exist that promote consistently conservative values. |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | === Conservative news === | |
| − | + | {{See also|Conservative news websites}} | |
| − | + | Some of the more notable news organizations which tend to be more conservative are [[WorldNetDaily]] and [[NewsMax]]. [[Fox News]], though often called conservative, tends to be more [[neoconservative]] than conservative. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | === Conservative magazines and blogs === | |
| − | + | {{See also|Conservative media}} | |
| − | + | Well-known conservative magazines in the United States include ''[[National Review]]'', ''[[Policy Review]]'', ''[[Revolver News]]'' and others. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | Some notable [[Conservative blogs|conservative political blogs]] include the [[Heritage Foundation]]'s Policy Weblog, ''[[Human Events]]'', [[Michelle Malkin]], Newsbusters, Townhall.com and others. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | | | + | == Neoconservatives == |
| − | | | + | |
| − | | | + | American commentators who ally themselves with the conservative movement but reject its religious or moral underpinnings are generally known as [[neoconservatives]].<ref>Jonah Goldberg, [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZWMxNWNiNDJkY2JmNTExY2E1MzdkYWU3MWU1MTBiOGU= "What Is a 'Conservative'?"], [[National Review|National Review Online]], 11 May 2005</ref> |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | In the United States, conservatives are generally characterized by the following beliefs: | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | # Support of [[limited government]]. | |
| − | + | # A preference for freedom of opportunity over equality of result. | |
| − | | | + | # [[Patriotism]], [[nationalism]], and support of a strong defense. |
| − | + | # Support of the institution of [[marriage]]. | |
| − | + | # Emphasis on social values, like [[prayer]] and [[pro-life]] principles. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | In contrast, neoconservatives generally support [[Big government|bigger government]] and [[globalism]], and tend to downplay the significance of social values. | |
| − | |"In | + | |
| − | + | == Paleoconservatives == | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | [[Paleoconservatives]] are conservatives who are more focused on social issues and American [[sovereignty]] and are suspicious of both big government and big business, along with [[globalism]] and [[multiculturalism]]. They also lean against foreign interventionism. Neoconservatives criticize this with the pejorative term "[[isolationism]]," as they believe in promoting [[democracy]] worldwide, even where different religious or value systems are incompatible with democracy-induced changes in control. | |
| + | |||
| + | A notable paleoconservative was Democrat Congressman from Georgia, [[Larry McDonald]]. He was also the second Chairman of the [[John Birch Society]], and President of Western Goals. McDonald was aboard [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] when it was shot down by the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]] near [[Moneron Island]] in 1983. Other paleoconservatives include [[Pat Buchanan]] and [[Tom Tancredo]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Fiscal Conservatism vs. Social Conservatism == | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''For further details on the two related philosophies, see [[Fiscal conservatism]] and [[Social conservatism]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Recently, a division has been created between fiscal conservatism and social conservatism. Fiscal conservatism centers around a low and [[Balanced budget|balanced]] government [[budget]], and generally is opposed to programs such as [[Social Security]] and [[Medicare]]. Its primary goal is to reduce government spending significantly. Social Conservatism, on the other hand, focuses on the moral issues of conservatism. A social conservative will oppose [[same-sex marriage]], [[abortion]], and the teaching of [[evolution]] in schools. The majority of conservatives (including most of the [[Republican Party]]) fall into both categories; however, some fall into one or the other, but not both. Notably, [[Libertarians]] are strong fiscal conservatives but are not socially conservative. For instance, the [[Libertarian Party]] Platform<ref>[http://www.lp.org/platform]</ref> expresses support for the fiscally conservative principles of ending publicly funded [[welfare]] and [[healthcare]] programs as well as reducing government spending overall significantly. However, it also expresses support for [[same-sex marriage]] (with some libertarians leaning towards the ultimate goal of total [[marriage privatization]]) as well as maintaining the legal status of abortion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Some Republicans and [[Democrat Party|Democrats]] also fit one category but not the other. Former [[New Mexico]] governor [[Gary Johnson]], who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, was deemed "the most fiscally conservative governor" while he was in office (and probably earned that honor given all the spending cuts he made), but at the same time, he supports [[marriage privatization]] and [[abortion]] (though he believes ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' should be overturned on Constitutional grounds). Also, several Democrats have expressed opposition to same-sex marriage and/or abortion, but still support liberal fiscal programs such as Social Security. They would be the opposite of Johnson - socially conservative but fiscally liberal. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Expected growth of social conservatism and religious conservatism === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Due to the explosive growth of [[global Christianity]] in traditional cultures and their influence on Western Christianity and the higher birth rate of [[Conservative Christianity|conservative Christians]] and religious conservatives, social conservatism is expected to rise. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Birkbeck College, University of London professor Eric Kaufman wrote in his 2010 book ''Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth?'' concerning America: | ||
| + | {{cquote|High evangelical fertility rates more than compensated for losses to liberal Protestant sects during the twentieth century. In recent decades, white secularism has surged, but Latino and Asian religious immigration has taken up the slack, keeping secularism at bay. Across denominations, the fertility advantage of religious fundamentalists of all colours is significant and growing. After 2020, their demographic weight will begin to tip the balance in the [[Culture War|culture wars]] towards the conservative side, ramping up pressure on hot-button issues such as [[abortion]]. By the end of the century, three-quarters of America may be pro-life. Their activism will leap over the borders of the 'Redeemer Nation' to evangelize the world. Already, the rise of the World Congress of Families has launched a global religious right, its arms stretching across the bloody lines of the War on Terror to embrace the entire Abrahamic family.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]</ref>}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Personal conservatism == | ||
| + | Because conserva | ||