Reflections on Conservative Politics in the United Kingdom and the United States : Still Soul Mates?

Acknowledgments; Introduction; I: Rights; 1 Liberty and Rights in American and British Conservatism; II: Foreign Policy; 2 New Directions in British Foreign Policy?; 3 Conservative US Foreign Policy; III: Religion; 4 Religion and Conservatism in the United Kingdom; 5 The Religious Right in the United States; IV: Economics; 6 The British Conservative Party and Economic Policy; 7 Free-Market Conservatives Faced with the Economic Crisis; Conclusion; Index; About the Contributors.;This collective work compares US and UK conservative thought in the areas of the meaning of rights, foreign policy mission, the role of religious activism within their respective party politics, and the impact of the current economic crisis on conservative economic orthodoxy. Intended both for political scientists and the general public, it is hoped this work will add to the understanding of what constitutes conservatism, and help reveal the common strands of thought which unite them. This collective work examines the different conservatisms displayed in the UK and US, particularly in the areas of the meaning of rights, their foreign policy mission, the role of religious activism within their respective party politics, and the impact of the current economic crisis on free-market economic orthodoxy. Drawn from both political scientists and civilizationists, each of these four areas is explored in this work from both the US and the UK perspective. During the 1980's, United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the United States President Ronald Reagan shared a close relationship both on a personal level, and also politically in the areas of anticommunism and free-market economics. Thirty years later, can we still say that UK and US conservatism continue to share this ideological alignment? This question was explored at a conference held in Rennes France in November 2010, held in the wake of the Conservative victory in the 2010 general election followed by the attainment of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives in the US November elections. This will add to the scholarly mosaic of understanding of what constitutes conservatism, and help clarify the common strands of thought which unite them. Introduction / Mark Mcnaught -- I. Rights: 1. Liberty And Rights In American And British Conservatism / Daniel Disalvo And James W. Ceaser -- Ii. Foreign Policy: 2. New Directions In British Foreign Policy? / Michael Parsons; 3. Conservative Us Foreign Policy / Paul Mccartney -- Iii. Religion: 4. Religion And Conservatism In The United Kingdom / Gillian Peele; 5. The Religious Right In The United States: Obscured By Libertarianism? / Mark Mcnaught -- Iv. Economics: 6. The British Conservative Party And Economic Policy: From Mrs. Thatcher To David Cameron / Nigel F.b. Allington And Gillian Peele; 7. Free-market Conservatives Faced With The Economic Crisis: The Paradox Of A Revival In The United States / Sébastien Caré -- Conclusion. Edited By Mark Mcnaught. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Introduction Chapter 1. Rights. Liberty and rights in American and British conservatism / Daniel DiSalvo and James W. Ceaser Chapter 2. Foreign policy. New directions in British foreign policy / Michael Parsons; Conservative US foreign policy / Paul McCartney Chapter 3. Religion. Religion and conservatism in the United Kingdom / Gillian Peele; The religious right in the US / Mark McNaught Chapter 4. Free-market economics. The British Conservative Party and economic policy: from Mrs. Thatcher to David Cameron / Nigel F. B. Allington and Gillian Peele; Free-market conservatives faced with the economic crisis: the paradox of a revival in the United States / Sébastien Caré Conclusion. Contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 11 I: Rights 29 1 Liberty and Rights in American and British Conservatism 31 II: Foreign Policy 53 2 New Directions in British Foreign Policy? 55 3 Conservative US Foreign Policy 73 III: Religion 89 4 Religion and Conservatism in the United Kingdom 91 5 The Religious Right in the United States 109 IV: Economics 123 6 The British Conservative Party and Economic Policy 125 7 Free-Market Conservatives Faced with the Economic Crisis 153 Conclusion 175 Index 183 About the Contributors 185