Up with Conservatism?

Contrary to some expectations, the conservatives in Sweden made considerable strides in the September elections, as did conservative Finns and Norwegians in their most recent elections. Earlier in the year Britain voted in Margaret Thatcher, and the Conservative and Christian parties performed much better than expected in the elections for the European parliament in Brussels. How to explain these victories? Has the hour of conservatism at long last struck in Europe? Can we expect even more resounding victories in the future?

Let’s begin with the latter question. Conservatives suffer from two handicaps, one deserved, the other not: 1) the fact that the Left has succeeded in labeling conservatives “right-wingers” (which, indeed, they are); and 2) the curious fact that National Socialists (or Fascists) are called right-wingers, a label that is absolutely incorrect. As a result of this distortion, conservatives are widely regarded in Europe as Nazis or Fascists who fear to follow their ideas to their logical, totalitarian, conclusion.

EK

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Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn

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Contrary to some expectations, the conservatives in Sweden made considerable strides in the September elections, as did conservative Finns and Norwegians in their most recent elections. Earlier in the year Britain voted in Margaret Thatcher, and the Conservative and Christian parties performed much better than expected in the elections for the European parliament in Brussels. How to explain these victories? Has the hour of conservatism at long last struck in Europe? Can we expect even more resounding victories in the future?

Let’s begin with the latter question. Conservatives suffer from two handicaps, one deserved, the other not: 1) the fact that the Left has succeeded in labeling conservatives “right-wingers” (which, indeed, they are); and 2) the curious fact that National Socialists (or Fascists) are called right-wingers, a label that is absolutely incorrect. As a result of this distortion, conservatives are widely regarded in Europe as Nazis or Fascists who fear to follow their ideas to their logical, totalitarian, conclusion.