Definition of conservatism
1 capitalized a : the principles and policies of a Conservative partyb : the Conservative party
2a : disposition in politics to preserve what is establishedb : a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically : such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (such as retirement income or health-care coverage)
3 : the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change religious conservatism cultural conservatism
From the M-W Editors
Examples of conservatism in a Sentence
the state's well-known conservatism means that progressive legislation always has an uphill battle
Origin and Etymology of conservatism
see 1conserve
Other Government and Politics Terms
CONSERVATISM Defined for English Language Learners
conservatism
playDefinition of conservatism for English Language Learners
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: belief in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society
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: dislike of change or new ideas in a particular area
Learn More about conservatism
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See words that rhyme with conservatism Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for conservatism Spanish Central: Translation of conservatism Nglish: Translation of conservatism for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conservatism
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