Paleoconservatism is a political ideology that emphasizes tradition, limited government, civil society, anti-colonialism, and anti-federalism. The term "paleoconservatism" is derived from the Greek word "paleo," which means "ancient" or "old," and it is used to distinguish this political philosophy from neoconservatism, a more modern form of conservative ideology.
Paleoconservatism originated in the United States in the late 20th century among conservatives who felt that the mainstream conservative movement had strayed too far from its original principles. They believed that the conservative movement had become too accommodating to liberal ideas, particularly in the areas of social policy and foreign interventionism. Paleoconservatives sought to return to what they saw as the true conservative principles of limited government, traditional social values, and non-interventionist foreign policy.
The roots of paleoconservatism can be traced back to the Old Right, a political movement that opposed the New Deal policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s and 1940s. The Old Right was characterized by its opposition to big government, high taxes, labor unions, and foreign intervention. In the 1950s and 1960s, the conservative movement began to split, with some conservatives supporting a more interventionist foreign policy and others advocating for a return to the principles of the Old Right.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the term "paleoconservative" began to be used to describe conservatives who opposed the neoconservative influence within the Republican Party. Paleoconservatives criticized the neoconservatives for their support of an interventionist foreign policy and their willingness to compromise on social issues. They also opposed the influence of big business and globalism on the conservative movement.
Paleoconservatism has had a significant influence on American politics, particularly within the Republican Party. It has been associated with politicians such as Pat Buchanan, who ran for president as a Republican in 1992 and 1996 on a platform that included opposition to free trade, immigration, and foreign intervention. Despite its influence, paleoconservatism remains a minority movement within the broader conservative movement.
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