Why are conservatives persistently wrong about the major issues in every era of history they live?

Question

During the American Revolution it was...

Conservatives: "We should remain loyal to the King of England!"

Liberals: "No, we need to create a new land of liberty and justice for all!!!"

Or the American Civil War:

Conservatives: "Slavery is the American way!"

Liberals: "No, our land is a land of liberty and justice for all!!!"

Or women's suffrage (the right to vote):

Conservatives: "The Bible says women are the property of men!"

Liberals: "Hello, all you conservatives need to get with the program! Our laws are derived from the will of the People, not God. Our land is a land of liberty and justice for all!!!"

You get the idea. Why is it that they are forever fighting against the improvement of our society and achievement of the great American ideal of liberty and justice for all?

Answer 1

Conservativism has been, and always will be, an ideology against change. In some cases this is good, i dont want my Democracy being meddled with too much..however, they often veer towards Right-wing isolationism...*shudders*
However, i dislike Conservatives but Neo-Liberalism scares me even more..its just Profit worship on an Industrial scale..we should be fearing them

Answer 2

Before I answer, it's probably worth it to note that I am a moderate, neither especially liberal nor conservative. Therefore, I hope I can answer with less bias than you're likely to find much elsewhere.

The definition of "conservative" is someone who prefers the conservation of the status quo, so obviously during times of change they'll turn out "wrong". However, during times of stability they'd be "right".

The psychology behind a conservative person is that humans are, on the whole, risk adverse. We'd much rather take $1,000 dollars over a 50/50 chance for $2,000 or $0. Enough experiments have been conducted with extremely consistent results to suggest that when there's risk involved, we don't like it.

Similarly, we'd much rather accept the problems we have now that risk new ones. In a way, conservatives see risk in a pessimistic light, while liberals see the opportunity for betterment.

The American ideal of liberty and justice for all is an optimistic and therefore liberal idea, one that believes that the opportunity for human betterment is worth the risk that we'd create new problems along the way. Conservatives fear this risk instead, citing that the chance for new problems is reason enough not to go along with greater liberty, so we're better off as we are.

Similarly, conservatives would side with Biblical over American values for the single reason that the Bible is older, and therefore the "devil they know" as opposed to the one they don't. They might think that some parts of their religion are imperfect (even if only to them selves), but they would accept these imperfections as better than anything change can produce.

Also, in at least one way, conservatives may have the upper hand in a potent modern debate: environmentalism. Greens oppose the development of industry, genetics, pharmaceuticals, etc. as being fundamentally different from and opposed to nature, which was here much longer. The conservative-green-hippie would say that humans can't do better than nature, and that whatever gains we get aren't worth the potential costs, so we should quit genetic research and eat only natural-grown tomatoes. The same philosophy is opposed to industrialization and pollution, and in this way conservativism can be considered the higher ground and positive. It's interesting to note conservative trends in traditional liberal topics, and the corresponding liberal (libertarian?) leaning of some right-wing politics.

Answer 3

The answer is "fear"

In every era the conservatives believed the messages of fear being sent out by "the man" or the ruling gov't. They were afraid to go against the flow or the gov't.

Like recently 9/11 caused a lot of fear and let Bushy get away with stuff b/c people were afraid.

Another example is during the entire history of the USA we have been taught to fear certain immigrants or peoples. First it was the Native Americans (not that they're immigrants) For a while it was the Irish immigrants. Then the Eastern European immigrants.

We have institutional fear (and racism) thoroughly embedded in the socioeconomic system.

Answer 4

Sweeping generalizations don't help anyone. Believe it or not, there were "liberals" who thought that remaining a British colony, the institution of slavery, and being against woman's suffrage weren't the worst things in the world, if looked at in a purely economic sense. There were also conservatives, who thought these things were wrong, and should be abolished....(OK, maybe not woman's suffrage. It's hard to image a conservative thinking that women should be his equal.)

Answer 5

Its pretty simple, by definition conservatives are against change - any change even if it's the right thing to do. Now that doesn't mean that the so-called conservatives in the American political process are against change, of course, as these folks have been named conservatives mainly for lack of a better term.

They aren't conservatives, they are actual quite proactive about their beliefs being "right" for everybody. That is a fault and the reason their opinions are typically failures.

Libertarian-minded Republicans get labeled as the American political right too, just by association with the party that claims to want less government but practices the opposite unless it comes to spending money. Unfortunately, we can't see past that left-right scale and two-party system, apparently.

The right isn't always wrong, but when it comes to matters of social decision, like all politicians, they chose themselves over others.

Answer 6

Throughout history conservatives have always been on the wrong side because they are against the neccessary changes we as a nation need for progress.They believe anything favoring progress is a threat and an attack on their lifestyle because they let their own small prejudices get in the way of thought

Answer 7

I think the answer to your question is , The same problem with the Democrats . Notice the replys which are angry in nature . They must agree or it would not anger them that you are stating a question. Republicans are mostly " pro-life " and pro-war ? ( Jumbo Shrimp ) Pro big business { creates jobs } If one lives in Mexico , Tiawan , or China . Against same sex marriage . This is America Freedom of choice is the word of the day . The preacher has the freedom to refuse to take part in the ceremony . ( unless he is a pedifile or something like that . I could continue but I need to work my 2nd job Thanx Bush

Answer 8

What history book are you reading? You're misguided and oh so very uneducated. Step away from pretty computer, and quit using your history book as a prop for you monitor. Resubmit when you are properly armed with information.

Answer 9

Maybe you need to do more reading of history, not the left papers and books.

Answer 10

Boy are you wrong. You need to go back to school. It was the Republicans who stopped slavery.