Neoconservatism is a term which describes several different political ideologies. All of these ideologies are common in that they claim an origin in more traditionally conservative principles.

Neoconservatism in China refers to a movement that eschews revolution and argues for gradual political change. Other than the name it has little connection with Neoconservatism in the West. Chinese neoconservatives, for example, are generally against an interventionist or assertive foreign policy, and there is no consensus among Chinese neoconservatives as to the economic policies that China should take.

Neoconservatism in the West has several commonalities.

Table of contents
1 Economic views
2 Political views
3 Nationalism
4 Common elements of policy
5 External links

Economic views

The neoconservative generally views neoliberal economics as a way to achieve their agenda. There is free trade advocacy and military-industrial complex propaganda further to the global economic monoculture in their agenda.

Like many classic or "old right" conservatives, neoconservatives generally believe in supply side economics (often known as Reaganomics).

The foreign policy idea of neoconservative relates to the domestic idea of a common sense conservative most strongly in the view that tax cuts are inherently good for the economy, no matter how the public spends the money that they keep.

Political views

They also share a belief in the importance of religion in underpinning culture - not plural.

The intellectual origins and figures that shaped neoconservatism have many and varied views. They are often said to have origins in the "old left" and to demonstrate an extremely strong connection to the state of Israel. [1]

This helps demonstrate that neoconservatives reject the semi-isolationism often associated with traditional conservatism, in favor of global free trade, capitalism that transcends national borders with little government regulation or restriction, and a more aggressive, and sometimes even interventionist, foreign policy. This combination has been characterized by opponents as New Totalitarianism.

Nationalism

Despite their focus on globalization and technology and trade, neoconservative forces universally declare themselves to be nationalist and to be seeking protection of national interests.

No nation has a neoconservative party; in Canada and the United States neoconservatism is, often uncomfortably, in the same party as more traditional paleoconservatives. In Britain neoconservatism is still much more intangible with accusations of Tony Blair's New Labour being neoconservative, and the Tory party also trying to adopt some of its ideologies.

Common elements of policy

Some common neoconservative policies:

Neoconservative beliefs vary from country to country. Some favour decriminalization of drugs (from libertarianism), but the US and UK have actually supported invasions of sovereign nations using the War on Drugs as a partial excuse, e.g. US in Panama, UK in Afghanistan. There is thus no consensus on this issue globally.

See also:

External links