Conservatism

Abstract

Abstract Conservatism may variously be defined as a political attitude or ethos that is marked by antipathy toward radical change and a pragmatic orientation to political practice; as a doctrine predicated on a set of principles in which tradition and authority figure prominently; as an ideology that is mobilized against competitors, most notably socialism, and as a political label that has been adopted by political parties on the right of the political spectrum. While this fourfold summary provides a serviceable overview of conservatism it inevitably glosses over the diversity of conservative positions that emerged historically in different countries, especially with regard to some new directions taken politically since the 1970s. It nonetheless provides a useful way to approach this significant political concept.