New media. Increasing euro-scepticism. The growth of Christian evangelicalism. The spread of democracy. Mounting evidence for marriage and against drugs. There are plenty of commanding trends that should encourage conservatives.
“A Leader Is A Dealer in Hope.”
- Napoleon Bonaparte
A traditionalist conservative disdain for utopian thinking shouldn’t turn conservatives into reactionary opponents of all change.
On the other side of the Atlantic, ‘Morning in America conservatives’ are increasingly the progressives in politics. British conservatives tend to be less positive and there are, of course, plenty of reasons to be worried and conservatives are adept at focusing on them. But there are also trends that should encourage conservatives…
Causes for hope
Here a few contenders:
New media: The MainStream Media and its ‘red corner questioning’ are being challenged by new media of the kind described by Iain Duncan Smith here. The new media gives conservatives unprecedented opportunities to build a nourishing infrastructure and a winning coalition.
Religious conservatism: Social conservatives despair at the moral hesitancy of the Church of England. The liberal, statist leaders of the Anglican Church appear to have more seats on quangoes than filled pews on Sundays. But the centre of gravity of British Christianity is no longer located in Lambeth Palace or the General Synod (if it ever was). Every British town and city is now blessed with one or two super-churches. Some are Anglican. Some Baptist. Some Catholic. Some don’t fit into any recognisable denomination. Their significance is not their denomination but their reverence for the Bible’s teaching. Hundreds of worshippers, of all ages, attend each of these churches. These churches are pregnant with possibilities for political engagement and social action. Throughout the world Christianity is becoming more conservative. The religiosity of America has been well documented (and exaggerated) but the real story is unfolding in Africa. 390 million worshippers now live in Africa – up by 4,300% since 1900. African churchleaders – once evangelised by Europeans – are now sending missionaries northwards. See here.
Euroscepticism: All opinion polls show that Britain is becoming more euro-sceptic. Whilst the Tories have been out of power they have often governed by proxy. The way they have forced Tony Blair into promising referenda on membership of the euro and the EU Constitution is good for the great cause of British sovereignty.
The unborn: New technologies that witness to the humanity of the unborn child could turn the tide on the abortion industry.
Evidence: Fifty years ago conservatives knew that marriage was good and drug taking was bad but they didn’t have much empirical backing for their beliefs. Today the evidence increasingly favours conservative positions.
Democracy is spreading: Every year Freedom House publishes an annual ‘Freedom in the World’ report that monitors nation states’ democratic and liberty-building institutions. Freedom House says that 119 of the world’s 192 nations enjoy freely-elected governments. That 62% proportion has doubled since 1950. The spread of democracy drives George W Bush’s second term.
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