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The Tragedy of Compassionate Conservatism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 October 2009

BRUCE PILBEAM
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Abstract

Compassionate conservatism was declared to be the governing philosophy of George W. Bush's administration. Yet among commentators it has rarely been taken seriously in its own terms as a theory. What this article aims at showing is that compassionate conservatism is not merely an empty political slogan; instead, when the nature of conservatives' compassion is properly understood, it can be seen to be a concept of great significance to conservatism. Conservatives use an understanding of compassion as a “tough-minded,” rather than a “soft-hearted,” moral virtue to challenge the fundamental precepts of competing social philosophies. In doing so, they construct a paternalistic and inegalitarian doctrine that justifies the authority of the “compassionate” regulating the lives of those who are the subjects of their compassion.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of American Studies , Volume 44 , Issue 2 , May 2010 , pp. 251 - 268
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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