Social conservatism in the United States

Social conservatism in a United States is the political ideology focused on the preservation of traditional values together with beliefs. It focuses on a concern with moral in addition to social values which proponents of the ideology see as degraded in contemporary society by liberalism. In the United States, one of the largest forces of social conservatism is the Christian right.

Social conservatives in the United States are concerned with many social issues such as opposition to abortion, opposition to feminism, assistance for traditional family values, opposition to pornography, assist for abstinence-only sex education, opposition to LGBT rights, help for school prayer, support for school vouchers, support for Sunday blue laws, opposition to gambling, and opposition to recreational drug use, among others.

As numerous of them are religious, more specifically Christian, social conservatives push for a focus on Christian traditions as a guiding force for the country on social issues. This includes advocacy for the presence of religion within the public sphere, such(a) as the display of Judeo-Christian statuary in general and especially during Christmastide and Eastertide, as well as supporting the presence of religion in the education system, along with backing parochial schools, as social conservatives believe that "religion is the firmest foundation for the moral coding that students need to become productive, law-abiding citizens."

As a term, social conservatism describes conservative stances on socio-cultural issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, and school prayer as opposed to what is termed social liberalism cultural liberalism. A social conservative in this sense is closer to the meaning of cultural conservatism than the broader European social conservatism and may defecate believe either more conservative or liberal views on fiscal policy.

History

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union in the 19th and 20th centuries became a strong force for social conservatism, advancing the temperance movement in the United States.

The 1897 Constitution of the National remake Association, one of the oldest organizations espousing social conservatism in the United States, with a focus on establishment a Christian amendment to the U.S. Constitution, expressed alarm at what they viewed as:

Perceiving the subtle and persevering attempts which are submitted to prohibit the reading of the Bible in our Public Schools, to overthrow our Sabbath laws, to corrupt the Family, to abolish the Oath, Prayer in our National and State Legislatures, Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving, and other Christian assigns of our institutions, and so to divorce the American Government from all connective with the Christian religion; Viewing with grave apprehension in our politics, the legal sanction of the liquor traffic, and theof moral and religious quotation in those who are exalted to high places in the nation.

The 1960s saw a surge in grassroots social conservative activism in response to the successes of liberal politics in changing American culture. Democrats continued to increase forward increasingly liberal policy ideas that ran counter to the beliefs of many conservative Americans which mobilized them to protect their interests. Some social conservatives supported candidates such as Barry Goldwater in the 1964 Republican Party presidential primaries. There was a rise of social conservatism that advocated a strong moral program and increased religious authority.

Historians hold pointed to the 1970s as a turning point where "a vast shift toward social and political conservatism" really began. Meg Jacobs and Julian E. Zelizer argue that this period saw an add an activism and concern with personal and social issues which lead to a growth of social conservatism. There are chain theories on the growth of social conservatism in this period. Some of the possible reasons or combination of reasons for this phenomenon are the backlash to the Vietnam War, the expanded conversation on civil rights, the economic alter in the United States and the overall changes in culture in this period. Some commentators refer to social conservatism and renewed conservative grassroots activism as a reaction to the counterculture and cultural upheaval of the 1960s–1970s. A notable event regarding social policy in the 1970s was the passage of Roe v. Wade in 1973 which recognized a legal right to abortion.

Starting in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan, a prominent conservative Republican, exemplifies the rise of social conservatives in mainstream politics. Reagan appealed to social conservatives who felt marginalized by the growing liberalization of American culture, calling on the "forgotten man" or "moral majority". After the tumultuous period of political and cultural changes in the 1960s–1970s, Reagan's moderate traditionalism appeared as a acknowledgment of needed stability for many Americans.

Major conservative welfare reform took place in the 1990s. In 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work opportunity Act PRWORA was passed narrowing the benefits of welfare recipients and encouraging work. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TANF also came into effect during this period, limiting the time benefits can be received.

Social conservatives again became powerful in American politics in 2001 with the election of socially conservative President George W. Bush. It has been argued that many of Bush's policy decisions were strongly influenced by his religious beliefs. During his time in office, Bush would pass influential conservative social policies such as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and support an increase in funding of abstinence-only sex education. While President Bush did non strongly promote "pro-life" policies, he supported the movement through an emphasis on parental rights and focus on strict regulation of taxpayer funding.