What is the difference between True Conservatism VS Neo-Conservatism?

Question

Many people have asked what the difference is, so here is the jest of it.

True conservatives:

"limited government"

"objective law"

"willingness to defend liberty throughout the marketplace"

"willingness to denounce privileges conveyed from government to special interest groups on both the left and the right"

"full scale endorsement of a strictly limited constitutional government that conveys favors to no one, rich or poor, black or white, young or old"

"phase-out of the welfare state and a return to strict federalism and the sovereignty of states"

Neo Conservatives:

"principles of individual rights and limited government are unworkable"

"people need to be manipulatively led by statist elites via open dialogue and democracy if possible, but by deception, coercion and expediency when necessary"

"endorses censorship"

"policy proposals are always in favor of relentless government expansion both domestically and internationally"

Feel free to add to either side.

What say you?

vtjames7 (Below)
I am not attacking anyone, many people have stated in many other questions that they didn't know the difference.

Answer 1

i am seriously glad you asked that... i don't think most people who tumble the 'neocon' word about actually know what it means... i was even confused.
.
it *kind of * clears things up - but now i'm left wondering even more why ppl call true cons 'neo cons'... i think they're just trying to be rude

Answer 2

Neo-conservatism is just a re-vitalization movement with many of the same values as 'old' conservatism.

You can trace it back to the neo-classicism of the Reagan era, or all the way back to the election of Jimmy Carter with the help of politicized Christian conservative democrats, if you try hard enough.

One of the main differences is that neo-conservatism is more interventionist and activist than traditional conservatism - making it really not that 'conservative' in the usual sense, more like a new brand of liberalism headed in a very different direction.


One way to look at it is this. Traditional conservatism is really little more than resistance to change. From the 30s through the 60s there was a lot of political, economic and social change. Those changes became solidified and accepted, and traditional conservatives today would be the ones who don't really want either any further change (be it characterized as 'progress' or 'backsliding'). Many self-identified liberals and moderates are, in fact, such conservatives.

Neo-conservatives want to go back to earlier values in some ways, particularly with regard to the respect accorded religion. Some are reaching all the way back to the 19th century for thier models of society (just as modern liberals do when they evoke the ideals of socialism). They also want to forge actual change. The idea of America as an interventionist global power dedicated to it's own supremacy is quite new, for instance.

Answer 3

True conservatism is more concerned with free enterprise, a non interventionist foreign policy, and a less intrusive government. Neo conservatives derive from usually Jewish ex Democrats,most concerned about Israel and interventionism whether in the Middle East or to combat radicalism. They want to impose Bush style Democracy by force throught the world, and they oppose affirmative action.They are a malign force in US politics

Answer 4

Neo Cons are big spenders. They have been outspending the Democrats.

Neo Cons are war mongers. They are constantly looking to provoke a fight.

Neo Cons are advocates of creating a police state at the expense of our freedoms. This is to "protect" us from the terrorism that their aggressive foreign policy creates.

Neo Cons are internationalists, whereas Conservatives are for national sovereignty.

Answer 5

Neo-Conservative isn't a real word. Only idiots use it like Chi Guy.

Answer 6

Pretty much says it all Neocons base their philosophy on Leo Strauss. That the massess are weak minded and religion is a tool that can be used by the elites for control....

Answer 7

From the "jest of it," this message about limited government brought to you by the people who voted to protect 'special interest groups' by denying rights to gays.

Answer 8

I dont know why one would ask a question like this if they didnt really want a true answer. By your inferences it is clear that you simply want to attack others. My advice to anyone that really wants to know the difference is to look them up in any political dictionary. I have one in the other room but there is no way I am typing all that crap- you go read one!!!!

Answer 9

I could NOT have put it better myself. True conservatives actually have some logic behind their conclusions. Neo-cons simply stretch their imaginations to validate irrational conclusions.

Star for you.

Answer 10

One was obsolete much earlier than the other !!??

The only thing constant is change !