The Antinomies of Conservatism: An American-European Comparison

The evolution of conservative ideology is compared between Europe and America. The distinction between "principled" and "unprincipled" conservatism sets the theoretical framework, with the "unprincipled" variety found in Europe fated to be dragged along a path not of it...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:SAIS review (Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies) 2010-01, Vol.30 (1), p.127-138
Main Author: Zoeller, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Conservatism
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The evolution of conservative ideology is compared between Europe and America. The distinction between "principled" and "unprincipled" conservatism sets the theoretical framework, with the "unprincipled" variety found in Europe fated to be dragged along a path not of its own choosing. America is considered exceptional in that from the beginning, conservative attitudes have worked in support of classical liberal values. Liberty is preferred to equality, but equality is nonetheless highly valued as an antidote to hierarchy. As a result, populism is decoupled from its traditional home on the political left.
ISSN:1945-4716
1945-4724
1945-4724
DOI:10.1353/sais.0.0073