Conservatism

Conservatism is a political movement and ideology based on preserving institutions, customs, and values that society has maintained over time. Adherents typically believe that systems that have functioned over long periods embody accumulated wisdom, and therefore that rapid change can produce unforeseeable consequences.

Conservatism is not a single, uniform system of thought. It varies from country to country, since what is preserved depends on what existed previously in each place. Consequently, British, American, and Middle Eastern conservatives advocate different practices, though they share a philosophical outlook that change should be gradual and tested.

Origins and development

Modern conservative thought is often traced to reactions against the French Revolution of 1789. The English-Irish writer Edmund Burke argued that society is a network of generations linked together, and cannot be constructed from scratch by a rational plan devised all at once. In subsequent centuries, many political parties and movements built programs based on that thinking.

General principles

These commonly include: respect for existing institutions such as the family, religion, and law; skepticism toward large-scale plans that would transform society as a whole; and a belief that human nature is fixed and therefore requires governance through custom and law. Many also regard private property and decentralized administration as important.

Different branches

Cultural conservatism emphasizes society's morality and customs. Economic conservatism typically supports free markets and fiscal discipline. There is also a nationalist variant that prioritizes state sovereignty and national identity. These branches sometimes overlap—for instance, when free markets alter traditional ways of life.