What is Social Conservatism?
Social conservatism is a view that society rests on traditions that took generations to form, especially family, faith and community. Social conservatives hold that these things should be protected by culture and, in many cases, by law. They tend to defend marriage between a man and a woman, to favour religion in public life, and to be wary of fast moral change. Many also care about the protection of unborn life and about community standards in media and education. Economic views vary from one social conservative to another, but moral questions come first.
Core beliefs
- The family built on marriage is the basic unit of society.
- Religion and shared moral traditions support good character and social order.
- Human life has a special dignity that law should protect, from conception to natural death.
- Moral change should be slow, and old customs deserve respect before they are cast aside.
- Schools and media should support family values and not undermine them.
- Strong communities and civil society are better than relying only on the state.
History
The roots lie in Edmund Burke's writing against the French Revolution in 1790, which defended inherited custom. In the twentieth century G. K. Chesterton defended Christian tradition in England, and Russell Kirk's The Conservative Mind of 1953 gave American conservatism a moral and historical base. Social conservatism became a mass political force in the United States in the 1970s, after the Supreme Court's abortion ruling in 1973 and debates on the Equal Rights Amendment. Phyllis Schlafly led the campaign against that amendment, and Jerry Falwell founded the Moral Majority in 1979. In Europe, Christian democratic parties carried similar values into politics after 1945, though more mildly. Many countries have since changed laws on divorce, abortion and marriage, over the objections of social conservatives.
Variants
Religious social conservatives root their views in scripture and church teaching. Secular ones argue from social stability, evidence on family life, or the value of tradition. Some are fiscal conservatives who also want low taxes, while others support family benefits and a stronger state role in the economy. Paleoconservatives stress national culture and are sceptical of intervention abroad. In some places it overlaps with religious nationalism. The movement also differs widely by country on how far law should enforce morals, from limits on abortion to rules about sex education.
Criticisms
Critics say social conservatism restricts personal freedom and imposes one group's religious beliefs on everyone. They argue that it has often meant discrimination against women, gay people and religious minorities. They also say that changes it opposed, such as legal equality for same-sex couples, have not harmed society. Libertarians object to using law to enforce morals. Some conservatives respond that a free society needs shared values to survive, that support for traditional marriage is not hatred, and that the evidence on family stability favours their case.
In practice
Social conservative voters and groups influence elections, court appointments and school policy, especially in the United States, Poland, Hungary and parts of Latin America, Africa and Asia. Their campaigns have shaped debates on abortion, religious liberty and education. On the 12 axes it scores at the top toward Traditional on Morality and strongly toward Religious on Religion. It also scores clearly toward Order on Security and National identity on Culture. Its economic scores sit close to the middle.