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Introduction

Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology, which seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in which it appears. In Western culture, depending on the particular nation, conservatives seek to promote and preserve a range of institutions, such as the nuclear family, organised religion, the military, the nation-state, property rights, rule of law, aristocracy, and monarchy. Conservatives tend to favour institutions and practices that enhance social order and historical continuity.

Edmund Burke, an 18th-century Anglo-Irish statesman who opposed the French Revolution but supported the American Revolution, is credited as one of the forefathers of conservative thought in the 1790s along with Savoyard statesman Joseph de Maistre. The first established use of the term in a political context originated in 1818 with François-René de Chateaubriand during the period of Bourbon Restoration that sought to roll back the policies of the French Revolution and establish social order.

Conservatism has varied considerably as it has adapted itself to existing traditions and national cultures. Thus, conservatives from different parts of the world, each upholding their respective traditions, may disagree on a wide range of issues. Historically associated with right-wing politics, the term has been used to describe a wide range of views. Conservatism may be either libertarian or authoritarian, populist or elitist, progressive or reactionary, moderate or extreme. (Full article...)

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Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, the Marquis of Paraná (1801 – 1856) was a Brazilian statesman, diplomat, judge and monarchist during the period of the Empire of Brazil (1822–1889). As co-founder of the Brazilian Conservative Party, he championed liberalism, exceptionalism, state authority and a representative, parliamentary monarchy. Paraná had been schooled in his party's principles by Bernardo Pereira de Vasconcelos, who was renowned for his intellectual capacity and leadership. Appointed president of Rio de Janeiro province in 1841, Paraná helped put down a rebellion headed by the opposition Liberal Party in the following year. In 1843, he became the de facto first President of the Council of Ministers of Brazil, while concurrently serving as Minister of Justice (a position he had briefly held in 1833), but lost the office after a quarrel with the Emperor. In 1853, Paraná was appointed president of the Council of Ministers and headed a highly successful Cabinet credited with ushering in several vital reforms. On 3 September 1856, while still in office, he died unexpectedly of an unknown febrile condition. To this day, he is regarded as one of the most influential politicians of his time and one of the greatest statesmen in the history of Brazil.

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The real division is not between conservatives and revolutionaries but between authoritarians and libertarians.
— George Orwell, in a letter to Malcolm Muggeridge (4 December 1948)

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After a period of disengagement and drift in the 1970s, the personal friendship between President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, often described as 'ideological soul-mates', reinvigorated what she affirmed as the ‘extraordinary alliance’. They shared a commitment to the philosophy of the free market, low taxes, limited government, and a strong defence; they rejected détente and were determined to win the battle of ideas with the Soviet Union.

Thatcher summed up her understanding of the Special Relationship at her first meeting with Reagan as president in 1981: ‘Your problems will be our problems and when you look for friends we shall be there.’ Celebrating the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 1985, she enthused: ‘There is a union of mind and purpose between our peoples which is remarkable and which makes our relationship a truly remarkable one. It is special. It just is, and that’s that.’

Credit: Haeel

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