Conservatism

Conservatism is a major political philosophy supporting traditional values or an established social order. Etymologically, the word conservatism implies that conservatives seek to conserve the existing social order or to reinstate an ideal social order now in decline. This can take a peaceful democratic form or violent radical form, and there are historical examples of both.

Universality and historical impact

Conservatism is a universal ideology or philosophy: conservatives consider theirvalues to be valid for all persons, not just for themselves. Consequently, there is no great tradition of conservative separatism, and conservatism is a political force seeking to implement policy. Since not everyone is a conservative, now or in the past, conservatism is historically associated with repression of non-conservatives. In Europe the Catholic-nationalist-conservative regimes of Salazar and Franco are notorious examples. The Franco regime came to power in the Spanish Civil War and executed thousands of its political opponents, tortured and persecuted many others, imposed rigid censorship, and promoted a monocultural Spanish identity.

Related Topics:
Values - Political - Policy - Repression - Salazar - Franco - Spanish Civil War - Censorship - Monocultural

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Within democratic polities, conservatives seek to impose conservative values through legislation and government policy, and occasionally by stating them directly in the constitution. This may bring them into conflict with others who hold different values, and results in polarisation, normally by the formation of one of more conservative parties and opposing parties. Not all conservative parties use the word in the party name orin their slogans, and not all parties that have the word Conservative in their name promote a conservative philosophy.

Related Topics:
Democratic - Constitution - Polarisation

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Conservatives have a strong orientation to values, which they consider universal. Consequently, they tend to reject the validity of other political ideologies. Conservatives don't see anarchism, for instance, as different: they see it as wrong. The formal presumption of ideological neutrality, in liberal-democracies, is a source of friction with conservative groups, who believe that their values precede or override the political process. Conservatives often claim that their values are the 'national values' or 'community values', which are beyond political discussion and must be enforced. Conservatism shares this belief with, but is distinct from, communitarianism.

Related Topics:
Validity - Anarchism - Communitarianism

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Impact on other ideologies

Many forms of conservatism incorporate elements of other ideologies and philosophies. In turn, conservatism has influence upon them. Most conservatives strongly support the nation-state (although that was not so in the 19th century), and patriotically identify with their own nation. Nationalism, which sees the nation as a long-term, centuries-old, community, has many conservative aspects. Nationalist separatist movements are by definition radical but also conservative. They appeal to tradition and often emphasise rural life and folkways.

Related Topics:
Ideologies - Nation-state - Patriotically - Separatist - Folkways

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The most controversial ideological impact is the conservative element in fascism. European fascism drew on existing anti-modernist conservatism, and on the conservative reaction to communism and 19th-century socialism. Conservative thinkers such as historian Oswald Spengler provided much of the world view (Weltanschauung) of the Nazi movement. However, traditionalist, monarchist, and Catholic conservatives often despised the fascist mass movements, and the personality cult around the leader. In Britain, the conservative Daily Mail enthusiastically backed Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists, and part of the Conservative Party supported closer ties with Nazi Germany. When defeat in the Second World War ideologically and historically discredited fascism, almost all western conservatives tried to distance themselves from it. The theory of totalitarianism, which treats Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union as equivalent systems, provided the intellectual foundation. Nevertheless, many post-war western conservatives continued to admire the Franco regime in Spain, clearly conservative but also fascist in origin. With the end of the Franco and Salazar regimes in the 1970?s, the relationship between conservatism and classical European fascism became an issue for historians.

Related Topics:
Fascism - Modernist - Reaction - Communism - Socialism - Oswald Spengler - Weltanschauung - Nazi - Personality cult - Daily Mail - Oswald Mosley - British Union of Fascists - Conservative Party - Second World War - Totalitarianism - Nazi Germany - Soviet Union - Franco regime - Salazar

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The relationship with right-wing ideologies (including some that are described as neo-fascist) is still an issue for conservatives and their opponents. Especially in Germany, there is a constant exchange of ideology and persons, between the influential national-conservative movement, and self-identified national-socialist groups. In Italy too, there is no clear line between conservatives, and movements inspired by the Italian Fascism of the 1920?s to 1940?s, including the Alleanza Nazionale which is member of the governing coalition under premier Silvio Berlusconi. Conservative attitudes to the 20th-century fascist regimes are still an issue.

Related Topics:
National-socialist - Italian Fascism - Alleanza Nazionale - Silvio Berlusconi

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