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Grand Central Political Magazine
Reversing The Conservative Conundrum
By Michael Taube
It wasn't that long ago when conservatism was the dominant political ideology in most western democracies. Conservative leaders such as Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher had won significant electoral victories. Lower taxes, smaller government and individual rights and freedoms were top of mind with voters. And the political left was in peril.
Unfortunately, the focus of conservatism has dramatically changed. Past political and economic positions have either been modified or watered down.
Even worse, today's conservatives face a real conundrum: The public is starting to grow comfortable with the new face of conservatism, and appears unwilling to accept a return to the past. Hence, if conservatives choose principles over power in the current political condition, the likelihood of failure is high.
How did this happen? It's primarily due to an evolution in political thought.
To their credit, liberals and socialists recognized the advantage of taking centrist positions on fiscal and social issues that resonated with the public. For example, former president Bill Clinton earned praise by drawing comparisons between his administration and the Reagan White House. And former British Prime Minister Tony Blair wisely switched the Labor Party's focus from unions to small business needs.
As a result, many conservatives started to compete with the left for centrist voters with softer positions.
Here are some examples: President George W. Bush's strong attachment to compassionate conservatism; British Tory leader David Cameron's promotion for an environmental agenda; and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's struggle with health care reform and gradual support for higher health fees.
To be fair, that's the nature of politics. What appeals to party supporters may not necessarily resonate with voters, and therefore concessions have to be made. Without these concessions, conservative parties would never be able to form government.
Yet this shift from principles to power is frustrating many libertarians and religious conservatives. They're concerned that their values are being pushed aside in the quest for power, and it's difficult to say how much longer they will be able to bite their tongues.
It is therefore imperative that conservative politicians, thinkers and activists maintain a successful route to power, and keep modern conservative principles alive and well.
With this in mind, I'm going to suggest that conservatives follow my four R's to keep the conservative movement in the right direction:
1) Revive the legacy. There's a reason why conservatives were successful in the 1980s - support of political and economic strategies that helped their respective countries. The appeal of tax cuts, small government and social conservatism still exists, and promoting a role for private enterprise in trade and the environment is a winning combination. Conservatives must not forget the legacy that they built, or the left will continue to steal many of their ideas.
2) Recapture focus. It's fine for conservative politicians to claim to be the living embodiment of Reagan. But you can't talk the talk until you actually walk the walk. Right now, no-one is doing it. Conservatives must regain their past status as free marketers, tax cutters and supporters of democracy around the world. The grassroots expect this from their leaders, and there's no reason why it can't be given to them.
3) Reinstate the importance of leadership. Most voters favor strong, decisive leaders in office. If conservative leaders keep watering down their political platforms, the electorate will start to see through this charade. That's why it's important to take principled stands on political, economic and social issues and stick with them. While this may turn off some voters, it will likely renew the faith of many more conservative-minded people in the process. And they'll come out to vote in droves.
4) Remember that principles and power go hand-in-hand. There is absolutely no reason why conservatives can't work towards obtaining political power and keep their principles at the same time. Principled positions on taxes, families, religion, free markets, and the fight against terrorism have led to many conservative election victories. If conservatives still support these positions, then they should get back to the business of promoting their vision for a better world.
There is still time for conservatism to become a dominant political ideology again. The only question is whether or not conservative politicians are willing to break out of the Conservative Conundrum.
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Michael Taube is a Canadian-based public affairs analyst and commentator. He has been a columnist for six major Canadian publications - most recently the Toronto Sun - and has also been published in the U.S., Mexico and Britain. He holds an MSc in comparative politics from the London School of Economics. E-mail: miketaube@yahoo.com.