Page "Conservatism" Paragraph 77

Major movements within American conservatism include support for tradition, law-and-order, Christianity, anti-communism, and a defense of " Western civilization from the challenges of modernist culture and totalitarian governments.

" Economic conservatives and libertarians favor small government, low taxes, limited regulation, and free enterprise.

Social conservatives see traditional social values as threatened by secularism, so they support school prayer and oppose abortion and homosexuality.

Neoconservatives want to expand American ideals throughout the world and show a strong support for Israel.

Paleoconservatives, in opposition to multiculturalism, press for restrictions on immigration.

Most U. S. conservatives prefer Republicans over Democrats, and most factions favor a strong foreign policy and a strong military.

The conservative movement of the 1950s attempted to bring together these divergent strands, stressing the need for unity to prevent the spread of " Godless Communism ", which Reagan later labeled an " evil empire ".

During the Reagan administration, conservatives also supported the so-called " Reagan Doctrine " under which the U. S., as part of a Cold War strategy, provided military and other support to guerrilla insurgencies that were fighting governments aligned with the Soviet Union.