Paleoconservatism is a
political philosophy and variety of
conservatism in the United States
Conservatism in the United States is a political and social philosophy based on a belief in limited government, individualism, traditionalism, republicanism, and limited federal governmental power in relation to U.S. states. Conservativ ...
stressing
American nationalism
American nationalism, is a form of civic, ethnic, cultural or economic influences
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*
*
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* found in the United States. Essentially, it indicates the aspects that characterize and distinguish the United States as an autonomous political co ...
,
Christian ethics
Christian ethics, also known as moral theology, is a multi-faceted ethical system: it is a virtue ethic which focuses on building moral character, and a deontological ethic which emphasizes duty. It also incorporates natural law ethics, whic ...
,
regionalism, and
traditionalist conservatism. Paleoconservatism's concerns overlap with those of the
Old Right that opposed the
New Deal in the 1930s and 1940s as well as with
paleolibertarianism
Paleolibertarianism (also known as the "Paleo strategy") is a libertarian political activism strategy aimed at uniting libertarians and paleoconservatives. It was developed by American anarcho-capitalist theorists Murray Rothbard and Lew Rockw ...
and
right-wing populism
Right-wing populism, also called national populism and right-wing nationalism, is a political ideology that combines right-wing politics and populist rhetoric and themes. Its rhetoric employs anti-elitist sentiments, opposition to the Establi ...
.
The terms ''
neoconservative'' and ''paleoconservative'' were coined following the outbreak of the
Vietnam War and a divide in American conservatism between the
interventionists and the
isolationists
Isolationism is a political philosophy advocating a national foreign policy that opposes involvement in the political affairs, and especially the wars, of other countries. Thus, isolationism fundamentally advocates neutrality and opposes entangl ...
. Those in favor of the Vietnam War then became known as the ''neoconservatives'' (interventionists) as they marked a decisive split from the nationalist-isolationism that the traditionalist conservatives (isolationists) had subscribed to up until this point.
According to
international relations scholar
Michael Foley, "paleoconservatives press for restrictions on immigration, a rollback of multicultural programs and large-scale demographic change, the
decentralization of federal policy, the restoration of
controls upon free trade, a greater emphasis upon
economic nationalism and non-interventionism in the conduct of American foreign policy". Historian George Hawley states that although influenced by paleoconservatism,
Donald Trump is not a paleoconservative, but rather a right-wing nationalist and populist. Hawley also states that paleoconservatism is today an exhausted force in American politics, but that for a time it represented the most serious right-wing threat to the mainstream
conservative movement. Regardless of how Trump himself is categorized, others regard the movement known as
Trumpism as supported by, if not a rebranding of, paleoconservatism. From this view, the followers of the old right did not fade away so easily and continue to have significant influence in the Republican Party and the entire country.
Terminology
The prefix ''paleo'' derives from the
Greek root
παλαιός (''palaiós''), meaning "ancient" or "old". It is somewhat
tongue-in-cheek and refers to the paleoconservatives' claim to represent a more historic, authentic conservative tradition than that found in
neoconservatism
Neoconservatism is a political movement that began in the United States during the 1960s among liberal hawks who became disenchanted with the increasingly pacifist foreign policy of the Democratic Party and with the growing New Left and co ...
. Adherents of paleoconservatism often describe themselves simply as "paleo".
Rich Lowry
Richard Lowry (; born August 22, 1968) is an American writer who is the former editor and now editor-in-chief of '' National Review'', an American conservative news and opinion magazine. Lowry became editor of ''National Review'' in 1997 when sel ...
of ''
National Review'' claims the prefix "is designed to obscure the fact that it is a recent ideological creation of post-Cold War politics".
Samuel T. Francis
Samuel Todd Francis (April 29, 1947 – February 15, 2005), known as Sam Francis, was an American columnist and writer.
He was a columnist and editor for the conservative ''Washington Times'' until he was dismissed after making racist remarks at ...
,
Thomas Fleming, and some other paleoconservatives de-emphasized the ''conservative'' part of the ''paleoconservative'' label, saying that they do not want the ''status quo'' preserved. Fleming and
Paul Gottfried
Paul Edward Gottfried (born November 21, 1941) is an American paleoconservative political philosopher, historian, and writer. He is a former Professor of Humanities at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is editor-in-chief of the paleoco ...
called such thinking "stupid tenacity" and described it as "a series of trenches dug in defense of last year's revolution". Francis defined authentic conservatism as "the survival and enhancement of a particular people and its institutionalized cultural expressions".
Ideology
Paleoconservatives support restrictions on immigration,
decentralization, trade
tariff
A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and po ...
s and
protectionism,
economic nationalism,
isolationism, and a return to
traditional conservative
Traditionalist conservatism, often known as classical conservatism, is a political and social philosophy that emphasizes the importance of transcendent moral principles, manifested through certain natural laws to which society should adher ...
ideals relating to gender, culture, and society.
Paleoconservatism differs from neoconservatism in opposing
free trade
Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold eco ...
and promoting
republicanism. Paleoconservatives see neoconservatives as
imperialists
Imperialism is the state policy, practice, or advocacy of extending power and dominion, especially by direct territorial acquisition or by gaining political and economic control of other areas, often through employing hard power (economic and ...
and themselves as defenders of the republic.
Paleoconservatives tend to oppose abortion,
gay marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constitutin ...
, and
LGBTQ rights
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
Notably, , ...
.
Human nature, tradition, and reason
Paleoconservatives believe that tradition is a form of reason, rather than a competing force.
Mel Bradford
Melvin E. Bradford (May 8, 1934 – March 3, 1993) was an American conservative political commentator and professor of literature at the University of Dallas.
Bradford is seen as a leading figure of the paleoconservative wing of the conservativ ...
wrote that certain questions are settled before any serious deliberation concerning a preferred course of conduct may begin. This ethic is based in a "culture of families, linked by friendship, common enemies, and common projects", so a good conservative keeps "a clear sense of what Southern grandmothers have always meant in admonishing children, 'we don't do that'".
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph Buchanan (; born November 2, 1938) is an American paleoconservative political commentator, columnist, politician, and broadcaster. Buchanan was an assistant and special consultant to U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, ...
argues that a good politician must "defend the moral order rooted in the old and
New Testament and
Natural Law
Natural law ( la, ius naturale, ''lex naturalis'') is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied independently of positive law (the express enacted ...
"—and that "the deepest problems in our society are not economic or political, but moral".
[Pat Buchanan Responds To Lenora Fulani's Resignation – Buchanan Campaign Press Releases – theinternetbrigade – Official Web Site](_blank)
Southern traditionalism
According to historian Paul V. Murphy, paleoconservatives developed a focus on
localism and
states' rights. From the mid-1980s onward, ''Chronicles'' promoted a Southern traditionalist worldview focused on national identity, regional particularity, and skepticism of abstract theory and centralized power. According to Hague, Beirich, and Sebesta (2009), the
antimodernism of the paleoconservative movement defined the
neo-Confederate movement of the 1980s and 1990s. During this time, notable paleoconservatives argued that
desegregation, welfare, tolerance of
gay rights
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
Notably, , ...
, and
church-state separation
The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
had been damaging to local communities, and that these issues had been imposed by federal legislation and think tanks. Paleoconservatives also claimed the
Southern Agrarians as forebearers in this regard.
Influence on the alt-right
The
alt-right
The alt-right, an abbreviation of alternative right, is a far-right, white nationalist movement. A largely online phenomenon, the alt-right originated in the United States during the late 2000s before increasing in popularity during the mid-20 ...
movement emerged from the younger generation of paleoconservatives. The movement was founded in 2008 by noted
neo-Nazi, former paleoconservative, and American white nationalist
Richard B. Spencer
Richard Bertrand Spencer (born May 1978) is an American neo-Nazi, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and white supremacist. A former editor, he is a public speaker and activist on behalf of the alt-right movement. He advocates for the rec ...
, who launched ''Alternative Right'' to disseminate his ideas after working as an editor for several paleoconservative outlets. The alt-right was influenced by paleoconservatism, the
Dark Enlightenment
The Dark Enlightenment, also called the neo-reactionary movement (sometimes abbreviated to NRx), is an anti-democratic, anti-egalitarian, reactionary philosophical and political movement. In 2007 and 2008, software engineer Curtis Yarvin, writin ...
, and the
Nouvelle Droite
The Nouvelle Droite (; en, "New Right"), sometimes shortened to the initialism ND, is a far-right political movement which emerged in France during the late 1960s. The Nouvelle Droite is at the origin of the wider European New Right (ENR). Vario ...
.
Notable people
Philosophers and scholars
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Mel Bradford
Melvin E. Bradford (May 8, 1934 – March 3, 1993) was an American conservative political commentator and professor of literature at the University of Dallas.
Bradford is seen as a leading figure of the paleoconservative wing of the conservativ ...
(1934–1993)
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Paul Gottfried
Paul Edward Gottfried (born November 21, 1941) is an American paleoconservative political philosopher, historian, and writer. He is a former Professor of Humanities at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is editor-in-chief of the paleoco ...
(born 1941)
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E. Christian Kopff (born 1946)
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William S. Lind
William S. Lind (born July 9, 1947) is an American conservative author, described as being aligned with paleoconservatism. He is the author of many books and one of the first proponents of fourth-generation warfare (4GW) theory and is the Dire ...
(born 1947)
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Clyde N. Wilson
Clyde Norman Wilson (born 11 June 1941) is a retired American professor of history at the University of South Carolina, a paleoconservative political commentator, a long-time contributing editor for ''Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture' ...
(born 1941)
Commentators and columnists
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Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph Buchanan (; born November 2, 1938) is an American paleoconservative political commentator, columnist, politician, and broadcaster. Buchanan was an assistant and special consultant to U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, ...
(born 1938),
White House Communications Director
The White House communications director or White House director of communications, also known officially as Assistant to the President for Communications, is part of the senior staff of the president of the United States. The officeholder is resp ...
(1985–1987), 1992 and 1996 Republican presidential candidate, 2000
Reform Party presidential nominee
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Peter Brimelow
Peter Brimelow (born 13 October 1947) is a British-born American white nationalist and white supremacist writer. He is the founder of the website VDARE, an anti-immigration site associated with white supremacy, white nationalism, and the alt-rig ...
(born 1947)
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Tucker Carlson (born 1969)
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John Derbyshire (born 1945)
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Nick Fuentes
Nicholas Joseph Fuentes (born August 18, 1998) is an American white supremacistMultiple sources:
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*
* political commentator and live streamer. A former YouTuber, his channel was permanently suspended in February 2020 for violatin ...
(born 1998)
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Thomas Fleming (born 1945)
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Samuel T. Francis
Samuel Todd Francis (April 29, 1947 – February 15, 2005), known as Sam Francis, was an American columnist and writer.
He was a columnist and editor for the conservative ''Washington Times'' until he was dismissed after making racist remarks at ...
(1947–2005)
*
Alex Jones
Alexander Emerick Jones (born February 11, 1974) is an American far-right and alt-right radio show host and prominent conspiracy theorist. He hosts ''The Alex Jones Show'' from Austin, Texas, which the Genesis Communications Network broadcas ...
(born 1974)
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Razib Khan (born 1977)
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Robert Novak
Robert David Sanders Novak (February 26, 1931 – August 18, 2009) was an American syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author, and conservative political commentator. After working for two newspapers before serving in the ...
(1931–2009)
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Steve Sailer
Steven Ernest Sailer (born December 20, 1958) is an American paleoconservative journalist, movie critic, blogger, and columnist. He is a former correspondent for UPI and a columnist for '' Taki's Magazine'' and VDARE, a website associated with ...
(born 1958)
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Joseph Sobran
Michael Joseph Sobran Jr. (; February 23, 1946 – September 30, 2010) was a paleoconservative American journalist. He wrote for the ''National Review'' magazine and was a syndicated columnist. During the 1970s, he frequently used the bylin ...
(1946–2010)
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Taki Theodoracopulos
Panagiotis "Taki" Theodoracopulos (; el, text=Παναγιώτης "Τάκης" Θεοδωρακόπουλος ; born 11 August 1936) is a Greek journalist and writer. He has lived in New York City, London, and Gstaad.
Early life and education ...
(born 1936)
Notable organizations and outlets
Organizations
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Abbeville Institute
Donald Livingston is a former Professor of Philosophy at Emory University and a David Hume scholar. In 2003 he founded the Abbeville Institute, which is devoted to the study of Southern culture and political ideas.
Early life and education
Livin ...
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John Birch Society
The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American right-wing political advocacy group. Founded in 1958, it is anti-communist, supports social conservatism, and is associated with ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, or libertarian ideas.
T ...
Periodicals and websites
* ''
The American Conservative
''The American Conservative'' (''TAC'') is a magazine published by the American Ideas Institute which was founded in 2002. Originally published twice a month, it was reduced to monthly publication in August 2009, and since February 2013, it has ...
''
* ''
Chronicles (magazine)
The Rockford Institute was an American conservative think-tank associated with paleoconservatism, based in Rockford, Illinois. It ran the John Randolph Club and published the magazine ''Chronicles''. In early 2019, the Rockford Institute merged ...
''
* ''
Intercollegiate Review''
* ''
Taki's Magazine
''Taki's Magazine'', called ''Takimag'' for short, is an online magazine of politics and culture published by the Greek paleoconservative commentator and socialite Taki Theodoracopulos and edited by his daughter Mandolyna Theodoracopulos. Initia ...
''
See also
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{Tea Party movement
Paleoconservatism
American nationalism
Anti-communism in the United States
Reactionary
Criticism of neoconservatism
Criticism of multiculturalism
Non-interventionism
Right-wing populism