Neoconservatism UK(ed)

Neo-conservatism, or the conservative New Right, is a political movement that emerged in response to the societal upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, characterized by what neo-conservatives perceive as permissiveness. This movement has wielded significant influence, particularly in the USA. Neo-conservatives are critical of permissiveness, viewing it as a threat to traditional values such as respect for authority and social hierarchy. They attribute phenomena like rising crime rates, high divorce rates, and increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases to the permissive attitudes that gained prominence in the 1960s. The increase in single-parent families, they argue, has eroded deference and fostered antisocial behavior. 

Neo-conservatives can be classified as social authoritarians who advocate for strong discipline enforced from above due to their belief in the inherent frailty and insecurity of human nature. They regard inequality as both natural and desirable, aligning with the broader conservative ideology. In contrast to neoliberalism's preference for a reduced state role, neo-conservatives advocate for a limited yet robust state that emphasizes law and order, often calling for heightened police presence. They champion traditional family values, endorsing the nuclear family as the optimal environment for child-rearing. Some proponents even suggest safeguarding this family model through the tax system to promote a specific set of moral principles. Additionally, neo-conservatives are staunch critics of multiculturalism and immigration, viewing these factors as threats to national unity and patriotism. Consequently, they may exhibit xenophobic tendencies and endorse assertive foreign policies.

The Social conservatism of today has evolved into the Culture War. It described tensions that have emerged between “orthodox” and “progressive” worldviews but it can be traced back to cultural transformations that began in the 1960s. 

The US sociologist James Davison Hunter gave popular currency to the term in his  1991 book Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America. He argued that they were about the orthodox versus the progressive. That division has manifested itself in public debate in the UK, but without the religious component or with an alignment to the main political parties. In the USA the Republican Party is dominated by neoconservatism and opposition to progressive social values. The UK Conservative Party contains this faction but as yet it is not dominant.

Kemi Badenoch articulates a social conservative position in the Culture War.