{{short description|Politically moderate variant of conservatism}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{conservatism sidebar|variants}} '''Moderate conservatism''' is a politically moderate version of conservatism that is less demanding than classical conservatism, and can be divided into several subtypes, such as liberal conservatism. The term is principally used in countries where the political camp is divided into ''liberals'' (meaning social liberals) on the left and ''conservatives'' on the right, rather than in countries whose political camps include social democrats on the left and their opponents on the right. For countries belonging to the former, ''moderate liberalism'' is sometimes contrasted with ''moderate conservatism''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cravings/202207/brain-scan-could-predict-political-leanings |title=A Brain Scan Could Predict Political Leanings |quote=While data from most of the tasks indicated political leanings toward more moderate conservatism or moderate liberalism, the researchers found that the reward task aligned with extreme political views (very liberal or very conservative) and the empathy task most significantly correlated with moderate ideology. |work=Psychology Today |date=14 July 2022 |access-date=22 February 2023}}</ref> The latter term can be applied to several countries, such as the United States, Poland,<ref name="Poland"/> South Korea,<ref name="South Korea"/> and Japan.<ref name="Japan"/>
== Overview == ''Moderate conservative'' is not often used in most parts of Europe, where social democracy or socialist parties have grown into major parties since the early 20th century, because moderate conservatives in many European countries are liberal conservatives or Christian democrats. Despite this, the term has historically been widely used in Europe, particularly in the mid-19th and earlier century, when liberal-to-radical politics, or classical radicalism, formed the mainstream left in Europe and conservatives were the right opposition. The moderate conservatives of this period were contrasted with the moderate liberals.<ref>{{cite book |editor=Edmund Fawcett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=851EEAAAQBAJ |title=Conservatism: The Fight for a Tradition |quote= A blurring of conservative and liberal outlooks was noticed early on. Moderate conservatives, the German political observer Friedrich Bülau wrote in 1847, were not for no change, and moderate liberals did not call for total change. |date=2022 |page=55 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=9780691233994}}</ref> It is also used as a contrast to ultra-conservatism.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Tatah Mentan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kt4WAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA167 |title=Democracy for Breakfast: Unveiling Mirage Democracy in Contemporary Africa |quote= Reflecting differences within the corporate community, there are moderate-conservative and ultra-conservative wings within it. |date=2013 |page=167 |publisher=African Books Collective |isbn=9789956791279 }}</ref>
== By country == === Canada === The main factions of the Conservative Party of Canada are the Red Tory and Blue Tory. Blue Tories value free markets but vary on social policies, Red Tories are known to be more centrist.
=== Iran === {{See also|Iranian pragmatists|Iranian reformists}} Moderate conservatism is mostly seen among Reformists: dissident media Iran International referred to Hassan Rouhani, the 7th President of Iran, as a "moderate conservative",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202408131446 |title=Who's who in Pezeshkian's cabinet? |date=21 August 2024 |quote=Most of the cabinet ministers are not officially affiliated with any political party or group but, nevertheless, have close ties to political figures such as the "Principlist" Speaker of the Parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, moderate conservative former President Hassan Rouhani, and hardliner factions. |work=Iran International |access-date=19 July 2025}}</ref> however, during his 2017 reelection campaign, Rouhani's views moved firmly to the left and he fully aligned with Reformists.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22886729|title=Profile: Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran|date=20 May 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=20 March 2024|archive-date=20 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120002149/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22886729|url-status=live}}</ref>
Ali Larijani is part of Principlists, but is described as a relatively moderate conservative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210515-moderate-conservative-larijani-bids-for-iran-presidential-race |title=Moderate conservative Larijani bids for Iran presidential race |date=15 May 2021 |work=France 24 |access-date=19 July 2025}}</ref> However, centre-right "moderate conservatives" such as Larijani are sometimes excluded from the narrow definition of far-right "Principlists."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.iranintl.com/en/202204037733 |title=Iran’s Moderate Conservatives Might Make A Comeback In 2024 |work=Iran International |date=3 April 2022 |access-date=10 January 2026}}</ref>
=== Japan === ''The Kōchikai'' was a faction that represented moderate conservatives within the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party. Former prime minister Fumio Kishida was a member of the ''Kōchikai'' faction, and he is also a "moderate conservative".<ref name="Japan">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/asia/article/fumio-kishida-becomes-japan-s-new-prime-minister-k7mc8ktxc |title=Japan's new prime minister Fumio Kishida vows to be tough on China but 'courteous' at home |quote=Fumio Kishida, a moderate conservative with a stern view of China's growing military assertiveness, will be Japan's new prime minister, after easily winning the election to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. |work=The Times |date=29 September 2021 |access-date=21 February 2023}}</ref> ''Yomiuri Shimbun'' is a moderately conservative newspaper.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Daniel M. Kliman |title=Fateful Transitions: How Democracies Manage Rising Powers, from the Eve of World War I to China's Ascendance |quote=... observers in Japan identified other obstacles to China's continued economic growth. ''Yomiuri Shimbun'', a moderately conservative newspaper and ...|date=2014 |page=122 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=9780812290295 }}</ref> ''Yomiuri Shimbun'' places more emphasis on moderate pro-American diplomacy rather than hawkish Sankei Shimbun.<ref>{{cite book|editor=Linus Hagstrom |title=Identity Change and Foreign Policy: Japan and its 'Others' |quote=It is particularly interesting to note that the more left-leaning Asahi Shimbun (333 articles) carried a higher number of articles and headlines than the conservative (but moderate and pro-American) Yomiuri Shimbun, and actually comes ... |date=2015 |page=101 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317394860 }}</ref>
=== Poland === The Civic Platform has supported a moderate conservative agenda.<ref name="Poland">{{cite news|url=https://politicalcritique.org/cee/poland/2017/tusk-vs-kaczynski-explaining-the-conflict/ |title=Tusk Vs Kaczyński: Explaining the Conflict |work=Political Critique |date=4 May 2017 |access-date=21 February 2023}}</ref> The party is described in various ways in the Polish political context as centre-right,{{refn|PO has often been described as centre-right: * {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FW5RbXxRMj4C&pg=PA2|author=Aleks Szczerbiak|title=Poland Within the European Union: New awkward partner or new heart of Europe?|publisher=Routledge|year=2012|page=2|isbn=9780415380737}} * {{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DQrc_4-H11QC&pg=PA191|author=Nathaniel Copsey|chapter=Poland:An Awkward Partner Redeemed|editor1=Simon Bulmer|editor2=Christian Lequesne|title=The Member States of the European Union|edition=Second|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2013|page=191|isbn=9780199544837}} * {{cite news|last=Viktor|first=Szary |date=9 September 2014|title=Poland's PM Tusk, heading for Brussels, submits resignation|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-poland-government-resignation-idUKKBN0H41SY20140909|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306114544/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-poland-government-resignation-idUKKBN0H41SY20140909|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 March 2016|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=7 December 2014}}|group=nb}} or centrist.{{refn|PO has often been described as centrist: * {{cite journal|last1=Marcinkiewicz|first1=Kamil|last2=Stegmaier|first2=Mary|date=8 January 2016|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290220555|format=PDF|title=The parliamentary election in Poland, October 2015|journal=Electoral Studies|volume=41|pages=221–224|doi=10.1016/j.electstud.2016.01.004}} * {{cite journal|last=Szczerbiak|first=Aleks|date=2017|title=An anti-establishment backlash that shook up the party system? The October 2015 Polish parliamentary election|journal=European Politics and Society|volume=18|issue=4|pages=404–427|doi=10.1080/23745118.2016.1256027|s2cid=157951515|url=http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/63809/1/Polish%20parliamentary%20election%202015%20EPS%20revised.pdf}} * {{cite journal|last=Siemsen|first=Pascal|date=2020|title=Voting PiS: Voting Left when Voting Far-Right Populist?|journal=Polish Political Science Review|volume=8|issue=1|pages=87–99|doi=10.2478/ppsr-2020-0006|doi-access=free}}|group=nb}}
=== South Korea === In the 20th century, ''liberal'' in South Korea had the opposite meaning of ''socialist'' or ''left-wing''. Therefore, some historical liberals in South Korea were considered conservatives or moderate conservatives.<ref>{{cite web|title=신민당|url=https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=1164777&cid=40942&categoryId=33385 |quote=1967년의 제6대 대통령선거와 제7대 국회의원 총선거를 앞두고, 분열된 보수 야당세력을 통합하여 평화적 정권교체를 이룩할 목표로 1967년 2월 7일에 창당되었다. |trans-quote=Ahead of the sixth presidential election and the seventh general election of the National Assembly in 1967, it was founded on February 7, 1967, with the aim of achieving a peaceful regime change by integrating divided conservative opposition forces. |website=Naver Knowledge Encyclopedia|publisher=Doosan Encyclopedia |accessdate=19 September 2021|language=ko}}</ref> Ahn Cheol-soo was considered centrist reformist or centrist liberal (sometimes centre-left) in the early and mid 2010s but is now classified as centre-right and moderate conservative. Yoo Seong-min and Choung Byoung-gug are representative moderate conservatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thediplomat.com/2017/05/south-koreas-19th-presidential-election-lessons-learned/ |title=South Korea's 19th Presidential Election: Lessons Learned |quote=Interestingly, 13.2 percent from the youngest group chose moderate conservative Yoo Seung-min, the highest of any group. |work=The Diplomat |date=13 May 2017 |access-date=21 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2021/04/356_306743.html?gonw |title=Park Heong-joon, a 'moderate conservative' politician |work=The Korea Times |date=7 April 2021 |access-date=21 February 2023}}</ref> ''JoongAng Ilbo'', a South Korean media outlet, is considered moderate conservative.<ref name="South Korea">{{cite book|editor=Dal Yong Jin, Nojin Kwak|title=Communication, Digital Media, and Popular Culture in Korea: Contemporary Research and Future Prospects |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=csBYDwAAQBAJ&q=Ilbo+is+considered+a+more+moderate+conservative+daily+and+also+publishes+its+English+edition%2C+Korea+Joongang+Daily&pg=PA126 |quote= Joongang Ilbo is considered a more moderate conservative daily and also publishes its English edition, Korea Joongang Daily, in an alliance with the International New York Times. These big three Korean newspapers have significant influences on ... |date=2018 |page=125-126 |publisher=Lexington Books |isbn=9781498562041 }}</ref>
=== Sweden === The major traditional right-wing party in Sweden was initially called the Conservative Party and later the Rightist Party, before adopting the Moderate Party name in 1969 to shed its ultraconservative image and espouse more classical liberal politics.<ref name="Sweden">{{cite book|author1=Nanna Kildal|author2=Stein Kuhnle|title=Normative Foundations of the Welfare State: The Nordic Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MDd-AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT128|year=2007|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-27282-2|page=128}}</ref>
=== Taiwan === Chiang Ching-kuo, the former president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), collaborated with moderate conservative intellectuals, beginning to ease the authoritarian rule of his father and former president Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Ching-kuo lifted Martial law in Taiwan in 1987, ending four decades of "White Terror."<ref>{{cite book |editor1=Sarah Biddulph |editor2=Joshua Rosenzweig |title=Handbook on Human Rights in China |page=569 |date=2019 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing }}</ref>
Today, moderate conservatives in Taiwan are referred to as 'Light blue'; they oppose pro-Beijing extremism or Taiwan independence, and support anti-communism, liberal democracy and ROC-centered Chinese unification.<ref>{{cite book |editor=Dafydd Fell |title=Party Politics in Taiwan: Party Change and the Democratic Evolution of Taiwan, 1991-2004 |page=119 |date=September 27, 2006 |publisher=Taylor & Francis }}</ref> Some 'Light blue', including Johnny Chiang, tend to be closer to ''Huadu'' politics than to Chinese unification.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://taiwannews.com.tw/news/4782886 |title=We're all pro-Taiwan independence now |work=Taiwan News |date=16 January 2023 |access-date=12 October 2024}}</ref>
=== United States === The Republican Main Street Partnership is a Republican Party (GOP) organization for moderate Republicans including moderate conservatives. Moderate conservatives are, sometimes pejoratively, called "Republicans in Name Only" by more traditional conservatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/real-republicans-please-stand-104526195.html |title=Opinion: Will The Real Republicans Please Stand Up? |quote=Anyone who didn't support the Florida Man, anyone who is a more moderate conservative, often gets tagged as a RINO — Republican in Name Only. |work=Yahoo! |date=28 February 2023 |access-date=1 March 2023}}</ref> A prominent moderate conservative United States president was George H. W. Bush.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-01 |title=Straddling divide between GOP moderates and conservatives, Bush was last of a kind |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/moderate-republican-internationalist-george-h-w-bush-was-last-kind-n870461 |access-date=2023-05-28 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>
== Moderate conservative political parties and caucuses == * Åland: Moderate Coalition for Åland * Australia: Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia faction) * Canada: Red Tory (Conservative Party faction) * Chile: Democrats * Iran: Executives of Construction Party, Voice of the Nation * Japan: Kōchikai (Liberal Democratic Party faction),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://worldcrunch.com/world-affairs/japan-politics-fumio-kishida |title=A Dove From Hiroshima: Is Fumio Kishida Tough Enough To Lead Japan? |quote=Kishida's character, coupled with the fact that he belongs to the moderate Kochikai faction within the LDP, inevitably means that he won't ... |work=Worldcrunch |date=10 October 2021 |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref> Komeito<ref>{{cite book|editor=Lucien Ellington |title=Japan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fox9YR80V7sC&q=social+conservative+Komeito&pg=PA168 |date=2009 |page=168 |publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781598841626 }}</ref> * Poland: Civic Platform, Renewal of the Republic of Poland * Sweden: Moderate Party<ref name="Sweden"/> * United Kingdom: One Nation Conservatives (Conservative Party faction)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/2022/10/17/liz-truss-fights-for-job-as-jeremy-hunt-ditches-economic-strategy/ |title=Liz Truss apologises for mistakes and vows to lead Tories into next election |quote=Ms Truss was due to meet the moderate One Nation Conservatives group in Parliament on Monday evening before an informal reception with her cabinet. |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=17 October 2022 |access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref> * United States: Republican Main Street Partnership (Republican Party faction)
== Notes == {{reflist|group=nb}}
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
{{conservatism}} Category:Centre-right ideologies Category:Centrism Category:Conservatism Category:Liberal conservatism