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Conservative
From SourceWatch
There are many different definitions for conservative, just like there are for liberal. Conservatism encompasses several different and distinct ideologies; Religious conservative, cultural conservative, economic conservative, compassionate conservative, social conservative, paleo-conservative, and neo-conservative (for a list of prominent American neo-conservatives, see Neo-conservatives/list). When the term is used as an invective, it is often referencing some shade of conservative the speaker is opposed to in an effort to convince the listener that all types are of that type.
According to the common political spectrum, conservatives are generally considered right-wing, but neither of those terms is precisely defined. In former Communist countries such as Russia, in fact, the term "conservative" is sometimes used in reference to people who oppose the transition to capitalism.
In the United States, the Republican Party is closely associated with conservativism, or -- as it is sometimes described in party circles, with "movement conservatism," an organized system of pro-corporate think tanks led by The Heritage Foundation and others, and activists and politicians who borrow some of their tactics and even their rhetoric from the leftist movements of the 1960s. Some movement conservatives, such as David Horowitz, are in fact former leftists who have converted to the right.
Conservatism in the United States involves several strains of different and sometimes contradictory thinking. One strain focuses on promoting "traditional" or "pro-family" cultural values -- opposing pornography, recreational drug use, homosexuality or other forms of extramarital sex. Traditional-value conservatives often favor creating or protecting laws that favor Traditional-value behaviors in society, an attitude that contradicts the libertarian wing of the conservative movement, which advocates limited government in people's social lives. Libertarians sometimes also oppose U.S. militarism, which most neo-conservatives support. What the different factions have in common, however, is their strong support for laissez-faire economics and opposition to regulations or other enforcement measures that would limit the power of corporate capitalism.
For a not-too-tongue-in-cheek look at how life might change in a purely Conservative America see [If Conservatives Had Their Way].
The main right-wing political party in the United Kingdom is called the Conservative Party.
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Alternative definition
CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others.—Ambrose Bierce, the Devil's Dictionary.
Resources
Related SourceWatch articles
- conservative news outlets (list)
- conservative political organizations (U.S.)
- liberal news outlets (list)
