PoliticsAugust 30, 2026

neoconservatism

nee-oh-kun-SUR-vuh-tiz-um

Definition

A political movement originating in the United States that advocates for the promotion of democracy and interventionist foreign policy, often emphasizing the use of American power to advance national interests abroad.

Etymology

Derived from the prefix 'neo-' meaning 'new' combined with 'conservatism.' It emerged in the 1970s to describe a group of former liberals who shifted toward conservative positions, particularly in their views on foreign policy and social reform.

In the news

The article traces Francis Fukuyama's shifting relationship with this movement, noting its evolution from a Cold War-era focus on confronting communism to an influential, interventionist ideology that later fractured over the 2003 Iraq War and the rise of Donald Trump.

The Last Man Comes Full Circle

Read the full article ↗

Washington Monthly

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