Social conservatism Totally Explained

Everything about Social Conservatives totally explained

Social conservatism is a political or moral ideology that affirms behaviors associated with a culture's traditions. However, the accepted meaning of traditional morality often differs from group to group within social conservatism. Thus, there are really no policies or positions that could be considered universal among social conservatives. There are, however, a number of principles to which at least a majority of social conservatives adhere.
A second meaning of the term has developed in the Nordic countries and Continental Europe. Here it refers to liberal conservatives supporting modern European welfare states.

Present Social Conservative Issues in the United States

pro-life views on abortion

promotion of heterosexual marriage, and disapproval of sexual immorality

protection of key American industries like defense, certain raw materials, and agriculture from foreign competition

focus on stronger families and not big government for teaching values

prison reform that focuses on rehabilitation through education and labor

opposition to federal financing for embryonic stem-cell research

protection of 2nd Amendment rights

protecting the continuation of the family farm

opposed to illegal immigration

reducing and/or reforming welfare for the poor and needy

greater financing for education

lower taxes with spending focused on education, defense, and infrastructure

placement of tariffs on countries that don't uphold human rights

allowing for the teaching of creationism in schools

Social vs. Other Conservatisms

There is no necessary link between social and fiscal conservatism. In fact, some social conservatives are otherwise apolitical or even left-wing on fiscal issues. For example, social conservatives may also support a degree of government intervention in the economy, and as such will tend to support the concept of a social market economy to further this aim. This concern for material welfare, like advocacy of traditional mores, will often have a basis in the religion of the social conservatives in question. Whereas a fiscal conservative is only concerned with conserving limited taxes to protect their money, a social conservative is more concerned with conserving traditional values, beliefs, and ideals. Examples include the Christian Social Union of Bavaria, the Family First and Democratic Labor Party of Australia, the so-called red tory movement in Canada, and the Communitarian movement in the United States.
There is more overlap between social conservatism and paleoconservatism in that they both have respect for traditional social forms. However, paleoconservatism has a strong cultural conservative strain which social conservatism, in and of itself, isn't necessarily allied with. For example, John Burger, writing in Crisis Magazine in 2005, said:

"The presence of a significant population of culturally Catholic immigrants offers hope that their culture will permeate a decadent American society and contribute to the re-evangelization of native-born Catholics. . . Abortion is still illegal in most Latin American countries. And in most areas, it’s not even part of a person’s consciousness."

Social Conservative Political Parties

Many Christian Democratic Parties around the world are socially conservative. Canada

Family Coalition Party of Ontario

Christian Heritage Party of Canada

A large number of Conservative Party members in Canada are considered socially conservative also. For example, the Conservative Party was the only mainstream party that opposed same-sex marriage in Canada. Although the party has no stance on abortion, many of its member are for fetal rights, and it's perceived to be the de facto party for pro-life Canadians. Australia

Democratic Labor Party

Family First

Christian Democratic Party

A large number of Liberal Party and National Party members in Australia are considered socially conservative also, as are those members of the Australian Labor Party associated with the Shop Stewards union. Germany

Christian Social Union of Bavaria

Partei Bibeltreuer Christen Belgium

Vlaams Belang Chile

Independent Democrat Union France

Forum of Social Republicans United States

Constitution Party Ireland

Muintir na hÉireann Nigeria

People's Democratic Party (PDP)

All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Sweden

Sweden Democrats Japan

New Komeito Party United Kingdom

Democratic Unionist Party

Resources

External Links

What is a social conservative?

Books

Carlson, Alan, The Family in America: Searching for Social Harmony in the Industrial Age (2003) ISBN 0-7658-0536-7

Carlson, Alan, Family Questions: Reflections on the American Social Crisis (1991) ISBN 1-56000-555-6

Fleming, Thomas, The Politics of Human Nature, (1988) ISBN 1-56000-693-5

Gallagher, Maggie, The Abolition of Marriage: How We Destroy Lasting Love (1996) ISBN 0-89526-46 4-1

Himmelfarb, Gertrude, The De-moralization Of Society (1996) ISBN 0-679-76490-9

Hitchens, Peter, The Abolition of Britain. (1999) ISBN 0-7043-8117-6

Jones, E. Michael, Degenerate Moderns: Modernity As Rationalized Sexual Misbehavior. (1993) ISBN 0-89870-447-2

Kirk, Russell, The Conservative Mind, 7th Ed. (2001) ISBN 0-89526-171-5

Magnet, Myron, Modern Sex: Liberation and Its Discontents (2001) ISBN 1-56663-384-2

Medved, Diane and Dan Quayle, The American Family: Discovering the Values That Make Us Strong (1997) ISBN 0-06-092810-7

Sobran, Joseph, Single Issues: Essays on the Crucial Social Questions (1983) ISBN 1-199-24333-7. Social Conservative News Services

The Interim

Social Conservative Web Sites

Alliance of Social Conservatives of the United States

Further Information

Get more info on 'Social Conservatives'.

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