Why a Black Would Chose Conservatism over Liberalism - Essay Example

The political unrest or divide in America today is very clearly between the black and the white. The blacks or the Africans were brought to America more than 400 years ago against their will. They worked from dawn to dusk to create wealth for a nation that has denied them freedom and opportunity till today. The social and cultural recognition has not been granted to them and they are still looked down upon by the whites; they are still oppressed and differentially treated than the whites. The two political ideologies namely, liberalism and conservatism, are both defined and controlled by the whites.

Nevertheless, when confronted with a choice why a black would opt for conservatism over liberalism? Liberals and conservatives share the same political principles, differing only in degree. While both believe in public and private sector, liberals call for a larger government than do the conservatives. Conservatives rely on religion and tradition while liberalism believes in science and collectivism. A study conducted by the Bay Area Center For Voting Research1 shows that the liberals remaining in the nation are the African Americans although the black Church is supposed to be ‘conservative’.

Conservatism is a state of mind and a type of character; it is a way of looking at the social order. It has a set of traditional principles and philosophy. Conservatism calls for personal responsibility as one part of the social contract and understands the importance of collective responsibility. Relationship has to be built with everyone and not by creating a mental discrimination that they are oppressed by the whites. The blacks need to remove this mental block from their minds. The blacks are interested in conserving their past.

They were denied emancipation and integration; they were taxed without representation and denied access to education too. Through various governments, from Ronald Reagan to George Bush, they always remained INFERIOR; they were blamed for crimes and drugs, and suffered inhuman treatment. Conservatism in the black community is widely associated with white racism. Today blacks would benefit immensely if they follow conservatism. Tax cuts do make a big difference to the small income families and entrepreneurs than it does to the rich.

Deregulation allows small companies and people with new ideas compete with big corporations. Social Security privatization would help the blacks, who often die before they become eligible for Social Security benefits. Blacks should accept that not all conservatives are racists. They will have to stop linking the past. Earlier the conservatives battled rigid quotas but today they attack all affirmative action programs meant to encourage greater inclusion of blacks in American institutions. A growing number of blacks too embrace political, economic, and social conservatism.

They have begun to identifying with political conservatism rather than political liberalism. The younger blacks are much more concerned about their economic future than older blacks are, and are more likely to be an independent than wedded to the Democratic Party. If the blacks want to enjoy the status of dignity they would have to embrace conservatism, de-linking the past oppression from history. This would uplift socially and economically. why a black would chose conservatism over liberalism Point out why conservatism is a better ideology for blacks then liberalism.

The social, cultural, and economic reasoning from Ronald Reagan trickle down economics to George Bush empowering of people, plus other social and cultural reasons.