Paleoconservatism

It is not known for certain who and where specifically used the term "paleoconservatism" for the first time. Most historians believe that the political philosopher Paul Gottfried applied it for the first time, trying to somehow isolate the political movement that emerged in the 1980s, whose supporters supported the traditions of South America, acted as an opposition to classical conservatives, neo-conservatives and the New President Franklin Roosevelt . ^[four]

The emergence of ideas that form the concept of some original American traditions in the framework of paleoconservatism can be attributed to the time of the American Civil War between the South and the North . It is the values ​​of the southern part of the United States that are taken as the basis for the description of some original traditions by paleoconservatives. And due to the defeat of the southerners in this war, many ideas inherent in the paleocons began to be considered opposition to the mainstream of political thought in the United States ^[5] .

Paleo-conservatism is a natural reaction of the American political system to problems associated with US international policy, the flow of immigrants and the multiculturalization of American society. Paleocons are carriers of nationalist ideas (for which they often suffer attacks from their opponents), which makes paleoconservatism a near-radical movement, advocating isolationism and closing borders for refugees. Some particularly radical paleocons also promote ideas about the biological differences between people of different races, which also negatively affects the reputation of this political ideology ^{[6] [5]} .

Paleoconservatism flourished in the early 90s of the last century, when paleoconservatives had to enter into a kind of "alliance" with Paleolibertarian to oppose international foreign policy and Roosevelt's domestic policy, to make a significant competition to the leftist forces of America at that time. Despite the differences in views of the paleocons and Paleolibertarians (for example, the latter did not accept the need for isolationism, since one of the values ​​of libertarianism is the free market ), they united around one of the presidential candidates, Patrick Buchanan , as a promoter acting in the interests of these trends . However, Paleolibertarianism as a political ideology and movement turned out to be more influential and large-scale than paleoconservatism. Gradually, the latter began to be ousted from the political arena of America. The accusations of paleocones in various radical views, which are discussed below, also contributed to this. As a result, the paleoconservatives blocked the road to various major publications, and even Paul Gottfried himself, the main ideologue of this movement, was expelled from the Institute of Intercollegiate Studies. ^[four]

Currently, paleoconservatives practically do not participate in the political life of the United States. This is due, according to Paul Gottfried, to the fact that their main opponents - the neo-cons - have much more influence and power. The neocons are more loyal to the various left movements (Gottfried believes that they do this in order to maintain their positions), which in modern America have great power, and, in fact, reject some conservative values ​​in favor of the dominant movements. In addition, paleoconservatives in some matters can easily be blamed for nationalism and even fascism , which also goes against the modern values ​​of the overwhelming majority. ^[7]

However, paleoconservatism cannot be fully defined as a movement that has its own political party and is seeking to take a seat in the government. It should be viewed as a philosophical and political direction established in the American system of political views, which, thanks to the vagueness of its formulations (paleocons are in favor of preserving the American traditional society, the essence of which in the modern sense may differ greatly from what it had originally) various social movements, for example, in the Tea Party Movement , which formally, although it does not identify itself as paleoconservative, but promotes ideas, is consonant e with paleokonservatizm. ^[6]

Paleoconservatives argue that since the nature and essence of man are limited, then any artificial utopia moves toward disaster and potential slaughter. Instead, they lean toward tradition, family, customs, religious institutions, classical learning, to provide wisdom and guidance. ^[eight]

• Paul Gottfried . Paleoconservatives: Right Outcasts of America // Russian Idea
• Paul Gottfried . The Conservative Movement, 1993.
• Paul Gottfried . Paleoconservatism // American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia. ISI, 2006
• The Paleoconservatives: New Voices of the Old Right / ed. Joseph Scotchie. Transaction Publishers, 1999.

• The american conservative
• The rockford institute