Doesn't the Ideological Style of Conservative Republicanism resemble Communism?

Question

Conservative Republicanism has an air of totalistic ideology. A disproportionate number of conservative intellectuals were once communists- first, the National Review crowd in the 1950's (Whittaker Chambers, James Burnham, Frank Meyer, Wildmoore Kendall) then the neo-conservatives of the 1970's (former Trotskyists Irving Kristol and Norman Podhoretz) They simply exchanged the primacy of the state for the primacy of the market. Taking all of this into consideration, doesn't the ideological style of Conservative Republicanism resemble Communism?

Two words, one initial: George W. Bush.
Smaller government? That's a joke, especially with Bush in office. The Republican mentality is that "government should be shrunken until it's small enough to drown in the tub." But why do Republicans want smaller government? For the same reason criminals want fewer cops; it's easier to get away with murder! The more Republicans cut taxes in an effort to "starve the beast," the more government expands. Check out the report by the Cato Institute here: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2006/05/11/starve-the-beast-just-does-not-work/ and the report by Jonathan Rauch here: http://www.jonathanrauch.com/jrauch_articles/cut_taxes_grow_gover/index.html and then ask yourself are Republicans REALLY for smaller government?
Glad to educate you!

Answer 1

I disagree with almost everything you say, except this: George W. Bush and many of the Republicans currently in power are not Conservatives, because they have only increased the size of gov't and increased gov't spending.

Answer 2

First of all, I believe you are brazenly trying to mislead people. Whittaker Chambers defected from the USSR and became an outspoken opponent of Communism. The other men realized the true evil of Communism, and then worked tirelessly to defeat it.

Heck, even Ronald Reagan was once a Democrat! Perhaps that the difference. Conservatives learn from their mistakes.

Now, you want to argue about Republicans extolling the primacy of the market? Did you forget it was Republicans who vilified Arthur Anderson, attacking it so vituperously that this giant company was destroyed by the Justice Department? Same for Enron. So don't use the tired argument that Republicans give soft treatment to big business.

Remember, it is Republicans who are fighting against all the huge, frightening bureaucratic behemoths like Hillary's socialized medicine debacle. Republicans are nothing like the totalitarian Communists. We are polar opposites.

As for the rest of your argument, I'll let The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) decimate it:

"My fellow immigrants, my fellow Americans, how do you know if you are a Republican? Well, I tell you how. If you believe that government should be accountable to the people, not the people to the government, then you are a Republican.

If you believe a person should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an interest group, then you are a Republican.

If you believe your family knows how to spend your money better than the government does, then you are a Republican.

If you believe our educational system should be held accountable for the progress of our children, then you are a Republican.

If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope for democracy, then you are a Republican.

And, ladies and gentlemen, if you believe that we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism, then you are a Republican.

Now, there's another way you can tell you're a Republican. You have faith in free enterprise, faith in the resourcefulness of the American people and faith in the U.S. economy. And to those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I say: Don't be economic girlie-men."

ADDENDUM: After reading your Additional Details, I have concluded you are hopeless. You simply twist everything. How could any person of intelligence use the argument you did? Small government means a less powerful one. Allow me to paraphrase the wise words of Thomas Jefferson: "A government big enough to give you everything is powerful enough to take it all away."

Now, stop sipping the Kool Aid, get a good book on Ronald Reagan, and come back with a better viewpoint!

Answer 3

Not at all. You are being cofused by labels. Conservatism - leave Republicanism out of the definition - has as its basis "efficiency". This, for the benefit of the individual. Since free-market dynamics automatically creates the best efficiencies, a conservative will opt for free markets as opposed to central planning (and tyranny) which is the basis of Communism. Hope this clears a few things up!! Have a nice day!

Answer 4

It is probably hard to find two further apart idealogies.
Any communism is anti commercialism, ideal communism is pro people and equality.

Republicans are pro commercialism and anti people/equality.
The dollar is God in the republican state as exampled by the last three republican presidents who did/do everything to prevent freedom from the few giant corporations who fund their lives. Chaney is the best example of capitalism gone insane. He created a war that no one in the war except a few weak minded minions of his party, believe in and then took over most of the rebuilding of the country he invaded w/ no bid contracts for his companies that he deferred income from, on a temporary basis.

Answer 5

Republicans are for small government and a free market.

That can't be any farther from communism.

Glad to educate you...its your world.

Answer 6

No....you must be thinking about liberalism with all of their social programs.

Answer 7

Swing and a miss.

Answer 8

Not really, I think is more like a mixture of Italian Fascism (Mussolini) and German fascism (Hitler).