The Political perspectives that have existed in the world since the creation of the organized society suffer changes and are therefore modified with the contribution of each generation.
Our ability to have a broaden outlook of the ideologies that give enrichment to society is directly proportional to the understanding of those political perspectives that have contributed the most with the history of humankind.
Conservatism, as the most direct justification of a modernized and developed State can be contrasted with theories of Fascism, Nazism, and Neo-fascism which, in spite of being outlawed in some of their forms, have earned the trust and fellowship of many people around the world.
These ideologies establish the two ends of the same line, meaning that most other theories encountered in the political scheme of the world today, can be located somewhere along this ratio based on their concepts of society, economic advantage, and the use of power.
As a first summary of Conservatism, those who believe in this theory with a more classical perspective, express the strictest form of anti-liberalism towards the concept of human nature.
They see society as a living organism that must follow the leadership of those people who retain the highest economic value of the State, therefore being this their form of democratic ideal.
The other members of society should focus their efforts on constantly being productive in benefit of their society, and remain loyal to the decisions taken by the stakeholders who act in the name of the nation. Classical Conservative theory is compatible with fascism on the form in which both place restrictions on the level of liberty that a person should have.
According to fascism, the majority can not direct human society and therefore we should all concede our power of self-determination to the State who will act in the name and for the benefit of the whole.
Only those who lead the State are truly capable of understanding the great effort that our ancestors have put into shaping our democracy and should then do all that is in their hands to keep our national traditions from changing due to foreign contributions.
As it is supported in Nazism, anyone with a leftist or communist outlook who wishes to challenge the internal characteristics that define our form of government should not be allowed to enjoy the benefits our politics.
If we could place the different forms of Conservatism along a line, we could then conclude that Classical Conservatism is the most rightist form of this ideology and can then be traced in some areas to theories of Neo-fascism, Nazism and Fascism.
Another form of Conservatism expressed by followers of Modern Conservatism shows that some of the characteristics exemplified in more classical perspectives can be bent and adapted to our changing world. Such is the contrast that can be established with this theory and Nazism’s rejection of liberalist theory.
According to author Burke, the form in which Liberalism is expressed within the context of Modern Conservatives has to do with the various roles placed on the individual. Even though this form of Conservatism accepts liberalism and communal togetherness in order to reach self-actualization, it still encourages the importance that individualism has in a society. Individualism leads to competition among all and this makes us constantly strive for higher challenges therefore improving our race. This is where Nazism comes into place.
According to this ideology, all peoples of the same language should be joined together according not simply to this essential similarity, but also considering the cultural values that have kept this civilization together.
This will strengthen the innate characteristics of a superior ethnic group and, with a strong sense of Nationalism, will then conserve (as in conservatism) the benefits of being Aryan.
The democratization within Modern Conservatives is based on the ideal of the structural inclusion of the mass in the sense of increasing competition among each other to discover new abilities in individuals. Popular participation would be assured in this process.
This will then allow for the appropriate selection of those stakeholders who can make the decisions more accurately in the name of the whole while conserving the unlimited accumulation of knowledge and nationalism that, according to Nazism, can only be carried on through the conservation of races in the inheritance process.
In search of a theory that would portray Conservatism with a more leftist and updated perspective, we find the ideology expressed by Neoconservatives.
Even tough this term retains similarities in relation to Classical Conservatives and Modern Conservatives, it sublimely shows how a controlling State that does not allow for the free economic independence of the economy but instead believes in controlling the market, is bound to a critique of modern capitalism derived from the free exchange of goods among States.
Neoconservatives as well as Neo-fascists are an exemplification of ideologies that were popular in past decades and are constantly suffering a rebirth where the main idea is kept while adapting their application to the world today.
Neo-fascists as well as Neoconservatives share a very nationalistic perspective of their own cultures which is undoubtedly more developed than any other. Neoconservatives blame the problem of their States on adversary cultures that have taken advantage of them in the past. Neo-fascists believe that the problems of their Nations are the fault of non-European immigrants.
This, as an adaptation from Fascism, has changed from people of Jewish religion during the World War period, to simply any non-European citizen who makes a living in any European country at the expense of the resources and capabilities of the aboriginal people from this continent.
The Democratic Ideal of these similar perspectives exposes the necessity of maintaining extreme nationalism in order to keep peoples united and this will then lead, as it happens in Classical Conservatism, to the election of leaders based on their role as stakeholders.
Once the leader has governmental control, he should allow for the market to challenge modern capitalism through the fomentation of a sustainable and efficient economy that can successfully compete with other States around the globe and attain an advantage over them.
Popular participation is a very essential subject that makes political ideologies even more interesting. The manner in which an ideology is capable of convincing people of its beliefs will directly influence the popularity and mobilization power of the theory.
A force that showed a true concern on this matter and was capable of gaining great advantage due to these factors is Fascism. Leaders of this ideology saw democracy as a goal based on the constant military empowerment of the State.
For as long as there was military conflict people would be interested in the politics of the nation and at the same time new leaders will arise due to their heroism in the battlefield.
According to Benito Mussolini, a prolonged peace does not bring any utility. War brings the best people of a Nation together and allows them to show their courage and belief in their country.
Democracy in Fascism can not be determined by the majority simply because they do not have the coordination to direct human society.
Because Nations are not influenced by economic means, it is therefore war what will determine the efficiency or the coming of new leaders who will keep absolute power of the State.
In continuation, Fascism must remain militarily belligerent in order to expand National territories and show the vitality of this form of government.
The success of this goal summarizes the reason why the leader was chosen through this form of popular participation
In conclusion, it is important to have a clear understanding on the similarities and variations that Conservative ideas show in immanence to Fascism, Nazism and Neo-Fascism.
The perspective that we obtain by looking in depth to the variations of these ideologies allows us to create bonds that lace together some of these theories making these studies more fruitful.
After having located these ideologies along a line with Nazism on one end and Neo-conservatism on the other, ideologies such as Fascism, Neo-fascism, Classical Conservatism and Modern Conservatism can more easily be seen as similar theories that suffer variations along the same line.
This essay is not supposed to judge the accuracy or misleading power of these or any other doctrines, therefore, we could summarize it as a tool to sensitize and respect the rights and wrongs of Political Ideologies.
Bibliography
▪ Ball, Terence; Dagger, Richard.
Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal 5th edition.
New York: Pearson Education, 2004.
▪ Ball, Terence; Dagger, Richard. (Burke)
Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal 5th edition.
New York: Pearson Education, 2004.
▪ Ball, Terence; Dagger Richard.
Ideals and Ideologies Reader 5th edition.
New York: Pearson Education, 2004.
Fabio Fermi
January12th 2005