Conservatism

cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional social institutions and practices

Conservatism is a type of political belief that supports emphasis on traditions and relies on the individual to maintain society.[1] The term was first used by François-René de Chateaubriand in 1818,[2] during the Bourbon Restoration, which wanted to roll back the policies of the French Revolution. The term is associated with right-wing politics. It has been used to describe a wide range of views. There is no single set of policies that are regarded as conservative because the meaning of conservatism depends on a given place and time, although most Conservatives oppose Modernism in some way and want to go back to old values.[3][4] In Western culture for example, Conservatives try to maintain things like organized religion, property rights, parliamentary government and family values.

2009 Taxpayer March on Washington as conservative protesters walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D. C.

Beliefs change

Conservatism tends to support the notion of faith, particularly in Abrahamic traditions in countries where those are the dominant religions. In England, the publication of Edmund Burke’s book Reflections on the revolution in France suggested people should be satisfied and advocated a caring government.[5]

Some conservatives seek to keep things as they are, while others want a return to the way things were at an earlier time.[6] This is often called reactionary conservatism. A conservative party in England formed which wanted better co-operation between rich and poor, democracy, and some aspects of a welfare state. This was also favored by conservatives in France and other parts of Europe.

Types change

Conservatism in different countries change

Brazil change

In Brazil, conservatism comes from its Portuguese roots, often being Evangelical, such as President Jair Bolsonaro.

India change

Conservatives in India are pro-Hindu, anti-Pakistan, and are socially conservative. The Bharatiya Janata Party is the biggest conservative party in India, lead by Narendra Modi.

United States change

In the United States, conservatives worry about centralism, do not trust the welfare state, and consider business people trustworthy on wages and prices. During the 20th century the Republican Party became a Conservative political party in the United States.

Related pages change

References change

Other websites change

  1. Ball, Terence; Dagger, Richard; Minogue, Kenneth; Viereck, Peter (26 July 1999). "Conservatism | History, Intellectual Foundations, & Examples". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. Muller, Jerry Z. (4 May 1997). Conservatism : an anthology of social and political thought from David Hume to the present. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-691-03711-0. Retrieved 8 June 2021. Terms related to 'conservative' first found their way into political discourse in the title of the French weekly journal, Le Conservateur, founded in 1818 by François-René de Chateaubriand with the aid of Louis de Bonald.
  3. McLean, Iain; McMillan, Alistair (2009). "Conservatism". Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. "Sometimes [conservatism] has been outright opposition, based on an existing model of society that is considered right for all time. It can take a 'reactionary' form, harking back to, and attempting to reconstruct, forms of society which existed in an earlier period". ISBN 978-0-19-920516-5.
  4. "Conservatism (political philosophy)". Britannica.com. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  5. "BBC – History – Edmund Burke (1729–1797)". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC (UK). 2014. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  6. McLean, Iain; McMillan, Alistair (18 January 2010). The concise Oxford dictionary of politics (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-920516-5. Retrieved 8 June 2021. Sometimes it (conservatism) has been outright opposition, based on an existing model of society that is considered right for all time. It can take a 'reactionary' form, harking back to, and attempting to reconstruct, forms of society which existed in an earlier period(subscription required)