Консерваторы о консерваторах

Abstract

In this critical review of the issue of the almanac Essays on Conservatism (Institute of Socio-economic and Political Research, ISEPR), which offers a deep insight in the contemporary history of conservatism, the author analyzes the current state of conservatism as a political movement in the United States on the basis of the Essays devoted to this subject, and of the recent presidential elections in the USA. The author proceeds from the fact that, existing in a competitive political environment, conservatism faces challenges of a changing public demand for policies, due to both the socio-economic situation and changing demographic composition of the population. The author shows how radicalism increased in response to frustration of the society and analyzes the roots of the radical and powerful demand for right populism in the United States in general. For decades, democratic political regimes provided stability both in politics and economics: population of these counties profited from integration, globalization, “open economy”: therefore, dominant position of establishment – the political “center”, left- and center-right parties was accepted without doubt. However, the last decades changed this trend. American conservatism, on the one hand, found a new base of support that helped Republican candidates win in the elections; on the other hand, conservatism deepened the divisions and contradictions in American society, and thus came into a conflict with a number of other traditional settings of conservatism. The author concludes that after the presidential elections of 2016, American conservatism faces serious top-down redefinition.