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Nathan Briggs's avatar

This is good. This definition of conservative makes it an un-American political theory. It’s strange to think that one time Republicans were radical liberals and Democrats were upholding the ancien regime of slavery. Principles around individual freedom and rights of association allied to a framework for self government that recognized a pre-existing pluralistic nation is such a strange and unusual thing. No wonder it struggles to grow outside the US.

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Delenda Est's avatar

Yes, I would say that Conservatism is un-American; but the thing is, is that Conservatism involves the persistence of a very old (and in earlier historical contexts, very practical) worldview. Perhaps the real conclusion to draw - as you are drawing here - is what a radical break Liberalism represents, from past beliefs about human nature. (I capitalize "Liberalism" to indicate that it compasses both the Right- and the Left-wings of a common Liberal tradition).

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flagrante delicto's avatar

The Republican Party WAS the party of Lincoln. Yes, they were progressive. Many Democrats were the party of segregation in the South, in my lifetime...Lester Maddox, Strom Thurmond, and George Wallace, were all Dixiecrats. I remember all of them. My father voted for George Wallace when he ran for president in 1968. He was popular with young, blue-color men, in the South and Midwest. How things change.

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