Neoconservatism vs Paleoconservatism: Key Differences Explained
How Neoconservatism and Paleoconservatism differ, using sourced definitions and each model’s estimated position on the Atlas’s nine political dimensions.
Definitions
Neoconservatism
Conservatism is a political doctrine that emphasizes the value of traditional institutions and practices. Conservatives favor gradual change under conditions of continuity and stability, and hold that government should serve existing ways of life rather than remake them.
Source: Britannica: Conservatism
Paleoconservatism
Conservatism is a political doctrine that emphasizes the value of traditional institutions and practices. Conservatives favor gradual change under conditions of continuity and stability, and hold that government should serve existing ways of life rather than remake them.
Source: Britannica: Conservatism
Side by side on the Atlas maps
| Dimension | Neoconservatism | Paleoconservatism | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 66 | 66 | 0 |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 79 | 79 | 0 |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 41 | 41 | 0 |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 77 | 77 | 0 |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 35 | 35 | 0 |
Neoconservatism is shown as the average of the 18 socialist-family ideologies on the Atlas (including communism itself), because the Atlas has no single “socialism” model.
Map scores are estimates on the Atlas’s scale and can be debated. Read the full pages for Neoconservatism and Paleoconservatism.