Adam Clark
Political Science 250
Leo Brux
20.10.2009
Neo-conservatism
From an etymological standpoint, “neo-conservatism” means “newly conservative.” Many neo-conservatives were liberal or moderate in their youth, and later moved to the neo-conservative standpoint. My 10th grade Civics teacher once told me that the older a person gets, the more conservative they typically become. Of course, this is not always true. Also, the film die fetten Jahre sind vorbei contains a quote dealing with the turning toward conservatism: “Unter dreizig und nicht liberal, kein Herz. Ueber dreizig und noch liberal, keine Gehirne.”
The defining characteristic of a neo-conservative is the willingness to install democracy in other nations; similar to the United States’ installation of democracy in Iraq. Many neo-conservatives believe that democracy should be spread worldwide. Many neo-conservatives disagreed with George W. Bush on many grounds; however, they applauded his decision to engage the Iraq War and his efforts to bring democracy to this nation.
Though both political philosophies contain the word “conservative,” there are many notable differences between neo-conservatives and conservatives. While most conservatives support prayer in the classroom and oppose abortion, many neo-conservatives are on the opposite grounds. If nothing else, a neo-conservative is unlikely to actively oppose abortion. Neo-conservatives tend to take libertarian views on social issues.
Of course, neo-conservatives and conservatives do share some common ground. Both are supporters of the dreaded PATRIOT Act of 2001. Many neo-conservatives describe themselves as “conservative.”
While nowhere near fascism, neo-conservatism does contain some elements thereof. As supporters of the PATRIOT Act, neo-conservatives believe that the illegal tapping of phones and other invasions of privacy are fine, given the right circumstances. They want to protect their country, and are willing to go to what I would call extreme circumstances to do so. Also, neo-conservatives do hold a slight belief that the enemy must be exterminated. In their case, I think the enemies are non-democratic nations. The neo-conservatives wish to expand democracy to every nation possible.
Finally, neo-conservatives are described by many as “liberals mugged by reality.” Many neo-conservatives were formally liberal, and eventually changed their beliefs. To conservatives and neo-conservatives, the liberals are wrong and misguided people. They need to get their facts straight and start thinking like Americans, not communists or fascists or socialists or anything else that is a threat to the American way of life.
(1) Many of them were Trotzkists (Trotzkyites)! Communists. Their way to do politics still has a lot of that flavour: they are ideologists, purists, cadre politicians, revolutionaries ...
ReplyDelete(2) We must not confuse the European and the American meaning of liberal. In Europe "liberal" in politics means libertarian, and usually means free market orientation + libertarian views about culture. Different in the USA, due to FDR and the NewDeal. So I suppose the words in the movie were: "Unter dreißig kein Sozialist - kein Herz, über dreißig noch Sozialist - kein Hirn."
(3) The Neocons in the USA demand imperial politics, war politics to spread US interests - whether they really mean democracy is something I would doubt.
(4) The Neocons are not Theocons. They are not religious. But they formed a close alliance with the Theocons, the Evangelicals. The Evangelicals are their main source of voters.
(5) Imperial presidency is a main element in the agenda of the Neocons: a presidency beyond the state of law, not limited by quaint Geneva Conventions or national laws that may forbid torture, spying on citizens, etc.. In that respect they tend to be authoritarian. (See item 3!) You mention these elements appropriately in your comparison with Fascism.
(6) Core element of Neocon policy is this Manichean way to set absolute good vs. absolute evil, this civil war like type of interpreting different interests and ways of life.
(7) Another core element: they are fiercely devoted to "free" (unfettered) market.
(8) Are the Neocons Machiavellists?
(9) Neocons usually see (US-)Liberals and European Social Democrats as "Liberal Fascists". Why do you think so?