What Is Neoconservatism?
Neoconservatism is a variant of conservatism that combines features of traditional conservatism with political individualism and a qualified endorsement of free markets. It arose in the United States in the 1970s. Part of the Conservative family.
Definition
Neoconservatism is a variant of conservatism that combines features of traditional conservatism with political individualism and a qualified endorsement of free markets. It arose in the United States in the 1970s.
Core ideas
- Traditional conservative values.
- Political individualism.
- Qualified support for free markets.
- A distinctive emphasis on foreign policy.
Origins
The United States in the 1970s.
Associated thinkers and leaders
Jeane Kirkpatrick
Definition based on Britannica: Neoconservatism (checked October 20, 2026).
Where Neoconservatism sits on the Atlas maps
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 74 | toward market | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 73 | toward traditional | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 36 | near the center | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 73 | toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 90 | strongly toward intervention |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 82 | toward private ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 46 | near the center |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 73 | toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 78 | toward traditionalist |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 25 | toward democratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 70 | toward hierarchical |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 38 | near the center |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 90 | strongly toward intervention |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 60 | near the center |
These positions are estimates on the Atlas’s nine-dimension scale, produced by running the tradition’s core principles through the same questions and scoring used for test-takers. They are interpretations for comparison, not objective measurements. How scores are made.
Estimated positions on key questions
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Opposition parties should be free to compete in elections. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Central economic planning is preferable to decentralized market decisions. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| A national religious authority should have the power to veto legislation. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| People should be free to criticize the government without fear of legal punishment. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Foreign wars should be avoided unless national territory is directly threatened. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Traditional values should guide what society considers right and wrong. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Class distinctions should gradually disappear. | Strongly disagrees | estimated from doctrine |
| Strict term limits should apply to the head of government. | Strongly agrees | estimated from doctrine |
Related ideologies
Main differences from the closest ideologies
- Compared with National Liberalism, Neoconservatism sits 43 points further toward intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
- Compared with Moderate Conservatism, Neoconservatism sits 52 points further toward intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
- Compared with Traditional Conservatism, Neoconservatism sits 56 points further toward intervention on the foreign policy dimension.
Comparisons
Neoconservatism vs Paleoconservatism
Figures with the closest estimated positions
Closeness of estimated positions only; this does not mean these people identify with Neoconservatism.
Sources
- Britannica: Neoconservatism
- Wikipedia: Neoconservatism (Wikipedia search)
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Conservatism
Position last reviewed: not yet reviewed individually.