Liberal conservatism

Liberal conservatism refers to a centrist brand of right-wing conservative political viewpoints that incorporate noteworthy elements of left-wing liberal thinking. One political catchphrase that is commonly associated with liberal conservatism is the idea that a person can be "socially liberal but economically conservative." However, this is not an all-encompassing way to understand liberal conservatism. It is more accurate to describe liberal conservatism as a political philosophy that combines elements of equality- and progress-oriented liberalism with hierarchy- and tradition-oriented conservatism, regardless of how those combined beliefs are actually configured.

In modern Western democracies, most mainstream parties that brand themselves as conservative display elements of liberal conservatism to a lesser or greater degree. The initial development of the earliest widely recognized form of liberal conservatism is usually said to have originated in the work of the Anglo-Irish statesman Edmund Burke.

Background

Liberal conservatism is best understood in the context of the political spectrum. In its simplest form, the political spectrum is presented as a continuum, encompassing left-wing viewpoints, right-wing viewpoints, and centrist viewpoints that combine elements of both. Similar continuums also exist on both the left and right wings of the political spectrum, and include left-wing and right-wing political beliefs that range from moderate to extreme. In the United States, the Democratic Party is an example of a moderate left-wing political party, while the Republican Party is the corresponding example of a moderate right-wing political party. Left-wing ideologies are usually branded as liberal, while right-wing ideologies are usually branded as conservative. While the liberal-conservative distinction begins to break down as one approaches the extreme ends of either side of the political spectrum, it is a useful way to understand key differences in relatively moderate political points of view.

Left-wing liberal political viewpoints are underpinned by the idea that human civilization is in a constant state of forward evolution, and that forward evolution must be embraced by governing institutions to improve society. Conversely, right-wing conservative viewpoints are characterized by the importance they place on tradition. They tend to regard change and progress as aspects of society that should be integrated at a significantly slower and more cautious rate. Conservatism tends to place a higher value on experience, restraint, and pragmatism than liberalism does. Left-wing viewpoints also advocate equality among all members of a society, while right-wing viewpoints hold that society requires some form of hierarchical organization to function properly.

Centrists generally believe that society is best governed by striking an equal balance between left-oriented liberalism and right-oriented conservatism. It typically seeks to avoid political actions or governance strategies that would deliver an advantage to either side, instead aiming to maintain an equilibrium that delivers the greatest possible degree of social equality while preserving the lowest necessary degree of social hierarchy.

Overview

Edmund Burke is commonly cited as the founding father of moderate political conservatism, as the term is understood in the context of modern civilization. While Burke personally wielded only limited political influence during his lifetime, he was a prominent orator and author who had a long career as a member of Parliament in the British House of Commons during the eighteenth century. Burke championed a brand of conservative thinking that sought to create and preserve a social order that served all members of society as equally as possible. Inherent in this premise are elements of both liberalism and conservatism. The conservative elements focus on the preservation of social order, while the liberal elements emphasize the importance of serving all members of society as equally as possible. Burke's viewpoints on several specific political issues of his day further illustrate how he simultaneously embraced both liberal and conservative ideas.

During Burke's time, capitalism was a relatively recent societal development, and Burke believed that it should be constrained and prevented from undermining government and public authority. While this would more likely be considered a liberal viewpoint nowadays, it was a conservative notion during the eighteenth century. Yet, Burke opposed British political oppression in the thirteen colonies, and he was a prominent advocate for the equal treatment of Catholics in Ireland. Both of these beliefs embraced notions of social equality that are now (and were during Burke's time) associated with liberal thinking.

The Austrian economist and political theorist Friedrich Hayek is another noted figure in the development of modern liberal conservatism. Like Burke, Hayek understood social and political institutions as the results of a long and ongoing process guided in no small measure by trial and error. This belief is underpinned by the premise that social and political institutions, as the result of trial and error, exist the way they exist for a reason, and thus, the order they represent is something that must be preserved for society to function properly. Hayek's thinking departs from Burke's in that Hayek does not root his opinion in religious belief. Instead, he places a premium on individual liberty and freedom, noting that such advantages were not inherent features of society for most of human history, but rather had to be fought for and won over a period of many centuries. Thus, for Hayek, conservative notions of tradition and preservation are necessary to maintain the liberal values of freedom and individual liberty.

Modern notions of centrist-oriented liberal conservatism acknowledge that it is effectively impossible for a person to hold purely liberal or purely conservative political beliefs. In the current political milieu, liberal conservatism is understood as a moderate point of view that aims to uphold tradition, integrate change at a reduced rate, and maintain necessary elements of societal hierarchy while supporting and promoting the ideals of individual liberty, social equality, and forward progress. One of the most prominent recent politicians to embrace modern notions of liberal conservatism is former British Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron campaigned for and won the leadership of Britain's Conservative Party in 2005, presenting himself as a "liberal conservative" who sought to modernize the party and incorporate elements of liberalism into both its economic and social policies. He became the British prime minister in 2010, holding the office until his resignation in 2016.

Many political commentators have noted that the divide between left-wing liberalism and right-wing conservatism has become more extreme in recent years, with voters tending to fervently align themselves with one side or the other. Further, scholars have noticed shifts in parties moving more to extremes, while moderate politicians seem to be disappearing. Commentators have also opined that modern-day liberals and conservatives seem less willing to consider the other side's point of view than they were in past generations, leading many to speculate that the right-oriented moderate base occupied by proponents of liberal conservatism may be in danger of shrinking and losing political influence.

Bibliography

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