Conservatism in the United States

Conservatism in the United States is a way of thinking in politics that leans toward the right side. It has been important in American life for over a hundred years and is often linked with the Republican Party. This tradition values individual freedom, respect for old customs, and a strong belief in free markets and business.

People who support this view often come from Christian backgrounds and believe in strong family values. They usually support laws that protect these values.

Conservatives also tend to believe in a strong national defense, the right to own guns, and protecting the culture and traditions of the West. They may have different ideas from others about topics like climate change and how society should change over time.

Overview

In the United States, conservatism is different from how it is seen in places like Europe. After the American Revolution, Americans chose not to follow European ideas such as landed nobility, hereditary monarchy, established churches, and big armies.

Conservatives in the United States value individual liberty and believe in a balance between the federal government and states' rights. They often support strong action for national defense and law enforcement, but they prefer less government involvement in areas like healthcare and the environment. Many social conservatives have strong beliefs about topics such as abortion and same-sex marriage. In schools, they may support prayer in public schools and school choice.

American conservatism is based on ideas like republicanism, which means rejecting rule by kings or nobles. Conservatives often look to important documents like the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution for guidance. They also value economic freedom and deregulation, following ideas from older times. The Republican Party has been closely linked with conservatism since the 1950s, though earlier conservative ideas were also found in groups like the Southern Democrats.

History

Main article: History of conservatism in the United States

American conservatism has been an important idea in the country's politics, especially with the Republican Party. It values ideas like freedom, fair laws, and respect for the country's founding principles. During the American Revolution, many Americans felt they needed to break away from British America to live by these ideas.

In the 20th century, American conservatism grew as a way to react against new ideas from Europe. Today, it focuses on trusting traditional ways of thinking, believing that big changes can sometimes cause problems.

Types

See also: Factions in the Republican Party (United States)

Conservative leaders in the United States have not always agreed, and American conservatism has changed since it began in the 1950s. Barry Goldwater, a U.S. Senator from Arizona, was an advocate for free enterprise in conservatism, which he made a focus of his 1964 presidential campaign. Two decades later, in the 1980s, Jerry Falwell, founder of Liberty University and the Moral Majority, was mainly an advocate for traditional moral and religious values. The history of American conservatism has also had tensions and different ideas. During the Reagan era of the 1980s, a group of ideas, called "the Three Leg Stool" or "Fusionism", included three parts of American conservatives: social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, and war hawks.

As of the 21st century, American conservatism includes several different ideas, though conservatives often support all or several of these ideas. They include:

Constitutional conservatism

Main article: Constitutionalism in the United States

• Constitutional conservatism, a form of conservatism that follows the U.S. Constitution, which supports the rules of constitutionalism and enumerated powers, and the ideas in the U.S. Constitution. This form of conservatism grew in the Republican Party in the early 20th century, in opposition to progressivism within the party; it can also be seen in the 21st-century Tea Party movement. Constitutional conservatism has also been linked with judicial originalism.

Fiscal conservatism

Further information: Fiscal conservatism

• Fiscal conservatism, a form of conservatism that wants low taxes and less government spending.
• Libertarian conservatism, a fusion of fiscal conservatism with libertarianism. This type supports a close reading of the Constitution, especially about federal power. Libertarian conservatism includes many people, such as business supporters, those who want less government debt, and those who believe in individual freedom. This way of thinking often supports laissez-faire economics and questions government programs and foreign military actions. Libertarian conservatives believe in personal freedom, which can lead them to have different views than social conservatives on issues like marijuana, abortion and gay marriage. Ron Paul and his son Rand Paul have been important leaders in Republican contests while keeping some socially conservative values. Fiscal conservatives and libertarians support capitalism, individualism, limited government, and laissez-faire economics. They want low taxes, free markets, deregulation, privatization, and less government spending and government debt.

Foreign policy and national security conservatism

Further information: National conservatism, Neoconservatism, and Paleoconservatism

• National conservatism, a modern kind of conservatism that focuses on national and cultural identity. Supporters of President Donald Trump have different views from older conservative ideas. It wants to protect national interests, emphasizes American nationalism, strict law and order policies and social conservatism around the nuclear family, and opposes illegal immigration. A 2019 conference called this kind of conservatism "National Conservatism".
• Neoconservatism, a modern form of conservatism that supports a strong foreign policy to promote democracy around the world. It was first used by liberals who changed their views, and it became a foreign policy idea supported by Dick Cheney, Robert Kagan, Richard Perle, Kenneth Adelman, Irving Kristol's son Bill, and others. It was important in the foreign policy of George W. Bush administration after the September 11 attacks. Neoconservatives want to spread American ideas globally.
• Paleoconservatism, which began in the 1980s as a reaction to neoconservatism. Paleoconservatives want limits on immigration, non-interventionist foreign policy, and opposition to multiculturalism. Most conservatives, except some libertarians, support a strong military. The conservative movement in the 1950s tried to bring together these different ideas, stressing the need for unity. It values tradition, especially Christian tradition and the traditional family. Some argue that diverse societies can be unstable. Paleoconservatives are generally isolationist, and wary of foreign influence. The magazines Chronicles and The American Conservative are generally seen as paleoconservative.

Social conservatism

Main article: Social conservatism in the United States

• Christian conservatism, whose supporters are mainly Christian fundamentalists who focus on the traditional nuclear family based in religion. They often believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that abortion should be limited or not allowed. They also oppose LGBT rights and support abstinence-only sex education. This group strongly supported Reagan in the 1980 election.

• Related to Christian conservatism is social conservatism, which wants to keep traditional moral values, often based on the nuclear family and religion, that they feel are threatened by secularism and moral relativism. They support prayer in public schools and school vouchers for religious schools, while opposing abortion and LGBT rights.

Others

• Traditionalist conservatism, a form of conservatism that opposes quick changes in political and social systems. This kind of conservatism prefers slow change through the rule of law rather than revolution.
• Blue Dog Coalition ideology is the set of values and policies of most conservative Democrats and the coalition that represents them. The Blue Dog Coalition and conservative Democrats have become smaller over time.

Ideology and political philosophy

American conservatism is a political belief linked to the Republican Party since the early 1900s. It values ideas like individualism, traditional values, free markets, and limited government power.

Conservatives often support free markets and less government control of the economy. They believe lower taxes and fewer rules help create jobs and grow the economy. In foreign policy, many conservatives support a strong national defense and spreading democracy. Social conservatives focus on protecting traditional family values and often support policies based on religious morals. The ideas of leaders like Ronald Reagan still shape conservative politics today.

21st-century policies

Some of the big changes in American conservative ideas in recent years include the rise of Donald Trump and new styles of thinking called right-wing populism. These ideas often go against older ways of thinking, like free trade and open borders. They focus more on national identity and culture. Social media has changed how people share and hear about these ideas.

Conservatives often care about the environment, but they have different views on how to handle it. Some believe that government rules to fight climate change might do more harm than good. They prefer solutions like market-based policies. Others support conservation efforts and have helped create important protections in the past. There are different opinions among conservatives about how much the government should get involved in these issues.

When it comes to laws and order, conservatives usually support strong policies to keep crime down. They often believe in long jail terms for repeat offenders and support the death penalty for very serious crimes. They also tend to support strict immigration policies, focusing on reducing illegal entry and increasing deportations.

In economics, conservatives often believe that the government should not play a big role in managing the economy or helping the poor through welfare programs. They support free markets and private businesses, and many are against universal health care, preferring private health care options instead. Some conservatives also support protectionist policies to protect American jobs and businesses from foreign competition.

On social issues, many conservatives hold strong views about traditional family values. They often oppose changes to traditional views on family, sexuality, and gender roles. This includes views on topics like abortion, same-sex marriage, and transgender rights. Different groups within conservatism focus more on economic policies rather than social issues.

In terms of race and culture, many conservatives believe that America is not a racist country and oppose programs like affirmative action. They see these programs as unfair because they focus on group identity rather than individual achievement. They often support traditional American culture and assimilation into a common culture, rather than celebrating many different cultures separately.

Conservatives sometimes react strongly to liberal ideas, aiming to protect what they see as important values threatened by liberal changes. They focus on defending families, traditional religion, local communities, and artistic greatness against what they see as negative effects of liberalism.

Electoral politics

A Gallup poll shows that 37% of American voters see themselves as "conservative" or "very conservative." Many people in the Republican Party support conservative views.

Geography

Alaska, the South, the Great Plains, and parts of the Mountain states and Midwest often support conservative views. The Northeast, parts of the Great Lakes region, the Southwest, and the West Coast tend to have more liberal views.

Rural areas with many Christian people who do not have college degrees are usually conservative. In contrast, people living in big cities often have more liberal views. This creates a difference between urban and rural political views across the country.

Other topics

Russell Kirk shared six important ideas about conservatism. These ideas are about finding meaning in life, valuing all parts of life, believing people have different roles in society, linking freedom to owning property, respecting traditions, and being careful with big changes.

Conservatives often like leaders who understand the law well. They believe judges should follow the law exactly as it is written. Some think judges should look at what the law meant long ago. Others believe each state should have the right to make its own decisions.

In the past, some conservatives warned against big government plans. Today, many share their ideas through talk radio and TV news. Famous voices include Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. These shows let people hear different views about the world.

Some conservatives today have concerns about science and schools. They sometimes question what scientists say on important topics. They also worry that colleges might not treat all ideas fairly. These concerns make them think carefully about decisions made by experts and schools.

Historiography

Historians study how conservatism has influenced America's history in new ways. Some say conservatism has been a strong force since the 1920s, with only short pauses during big changes like the New Deal in the 1930s and the Great Society in the 1960s. Others think conservatism wasn't as strong or united as many believe. Still, conservatives have made important changes in areas like cutting taxes and updating rules for businesses.

American exceptionalism

Main article: American exceptionalism

Many conservatives believe in American exceptionalism, the idea that the United States has a special role in supporting freedom and free markets around the world. This belief comes from values like liberty, individualism, and republicanism that started during the American Revolution. Some leaders, like Ronald Reagan, have described America as a “shining city upon a hill,” meaning a good example for others.

City upon a Hill

Main article: City upon a Hill

The idea of a “city upon a hill” comes from a story told by Jesus and was used by early settlers in Massachusetts. They believed America was unique and free from problems that other countries had. Ronald Reagan also used this phrase in a speech, reminding people of America’s important role.

Notable individuals

Further information: List of American conservatives

In 1956, Clinton Rossiter, a professor at Cornell University, wrote about important people in American conservatism. He called them the "giants of American conservatism." He talked about leaders like John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and Theodore Roosevelt. Rossiter also talked about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as important, even though they were not part of just one group.

Later leaders such as Grover Cleveland and Dwight D. Eisenhower helped change conservatism to match new times. Rossiter thought others like Robert A. Taft might also be important in the future.