Understanding Contemporary American Conservatism

Contemporary American conservatism - a mélange of ideas, people, and organizations - is difficult to define; even conservatives themselves are unable to agree about its essential meaning. Yet the conservative movement is well financed, exerts strong influence in the Republican Party, inspires followers throughout the land, and has spawned a network of think tanks and media outlets that are the envy of its competitors. It is a powerful political force with which to be reckoned. This book examines how that has come about and what contemporary conservatism signifies for US politics and policy. It looks at the recent history of conservatism in America as well as its antecedents in the UK, traces changes over time using American National Election Study data from 1972 to the present in what it means when people say they are conservatives, and assesses the prospects for American conservatism, both in the near term electoral context and over the longer term as well.

List of contents

Preface
1. Contemporary American Conservatism as a Legacy of the 1960s : An Introduction
2. Is the United States a Conservative Nation?
3. Who are the Conservatives?
4. The Size and Role of Government
5. Explaining Contemporary Conservatism: A Tale of 40 Years
6. How Different are Political Elites and the Public?
7. What is the Meaning of Contemporary Movements like the Tea Party?
8. Varieties of Conservatism: Comparative and Domestic Perspectives
9. Contemporary American Conservatism: Synopsis, Problems, and Prospects
Afterword

About the author

Joel D. Aberbach is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, and Director of the Center for American Politics and Public Policy, at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Product details

• Authors: Joel Aberbach, Joel D Aberbach, Joel D. Aberbach
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 23.08.2016
• EAN: 9781138679337
• ISBN: 978-1-138-67933-7
• No. of pages: 142
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; USA, Political Parties, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Political Parties, United States of America, USA, Elections & referenda, Political parties and party platforms, Conservatism & right-of-centre democratic ideologies, Elections and referenda / suffrage, Right-of-centre democratic ideologies and movements, Joel D. Aberbach