AWKWARD ALLIES: THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT AND THE RISE OF THE NEO-CONSERVATIVES A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Social and Political Thought University of Regina By Paul William Gaudette Regina, Saskatchewan July 2010 Copyright 2010: P.W. 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Canada UNIVERSITY OF REGINA FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE Paul William Gaudette, candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in Social and Political Thought, has presented a thesis titled, Awkward Allies: The Religious Right and the Rise of the Neo-Conservatives, in an oral examination held on May 10, 2010. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: "Dr. Allan MacLeod, St. Thomas More Colllege, Saskatoon Supervisor: Dr. Shadia Drury, Department of Philosophy and Classics Committee Member: Dr. David Elliott, Department of Philosophy and Classics Committee Member: Dr. Phillip Hansen, Department of Philosophy and Classics Chair of Defense: Dr. Troni Grande, Department of English 'Participated via teleconference Abstract Despite the volumes of research being done about the neo-conservatives, very few studies explore in detail the relationship between the neo-cons and the Religious Right. Even fewer argue that this alliance is potentially damaging to religious rights and jGreedoms as enshrined in the American Constitution; this paper attempts to fill that void. While tracing the history and rise to political prominence of the neo-conservatives and its relationship with traditional conservatism, this study explores the role that the Religious Right has played in neo-conservatism and the conflicting political objectives of each group. Further, it argues that the goals of both have been combined and popularized in a way that is disingenuous, utilitarian, and, often, misleading. This paper closely explores the writings of Irving Kristol, one of the founding fathers of neo-conservatism, and demonstrates the widely different approach to religion and religious thought between these two groups. It further stresses the inherent danger in these two ideologies combining to create an American foreign policy that is both aggressive and crusading. This study concludes that this alliance of ideals and objectives undermines the value of religion in civil society in the short term and potentially has disastrous consequences for the future. It suggests that religious people need to look past the immediate political gratification of the alliance to more deeply understand the consequences of providing political support behind neo-conservative goals. ii Acknowledgements I greatly appreciate the financial support of The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research that made this journey possible. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the support of many people. I would first like the thank Dr. Shadia Drury for her patience and persistence. I am indebted to her for staying with me through this whole process, for her probing questions and her commitment to having me "speak" with a personal voice. To those members of the Committee for Social and Political Thought whom I had the privilege of studying and working with, Dr. Phillip Hansen, Dr. David Elliott, and Dr. Joyce Green, thank you for guiding me and for introducing me to ideas that both inspired and challenged. Most importantly, the deepest thank you to my wife and three little girls, who gave up the most to make this dream a reality. After giving up many, many weekends and summer vacations with dad, we have finally made it. Thank you for your consistent support and encouragement in what seemed like an endless process. iii Table of Contents ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER ONE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NEO-CONSERVATIVES IN AMERICAN POLITICS 6 CHAPTER TWO: WHAT'S IN A NAME? 19 CHAPTER THREE: THE RELIGION OF NEO-CONSERVATIVES 38 CHAPTER FOUR: NEO-CONSERVATISM ABROAD 60 CONCLUSION 82 BIBLIOGRAPHY 89 iv Introduction It is as little justifiable to force our ideas on other people, as to compel them to submit to our will in any other respect.1 - John Stuart Mill For a lot of people, politics has become trivial and irrelevant. Significant declines in voter turnout and decreases in other key indicators of political engagement exemplify the disenfranchisement and cynicism that so many evidently feel. Politics has become synonymous with politicians. And the distaste and mistrust that many people feel towards politicians has led not only to disinterest, but also to a loss of hope that politics can be an effective tool for change and good governance. Part of what I would like to highlight is the importance, not only of politics, but of political ideas. I believe that politics and philosophy are not only important, but vital because they are the fundamental means of impacting and changing the world in which we live. Ideas have power, power enough to motivate and change people. Furthermore, politics is the means by which decisions are made everyday and those decisions impact our lives and the lives of others, sometimes significantly. More broadly, politics touches every aspect of our lives—our family relations, our work place, the films we see, and the books we read; it is the lens through which we view our neighbors and the world around us. This thesis will examine a considerable political force that has dominated political thinking and political office in the United States for more than two decades. It has led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; it has greatly impacted civil rights; it has gained great power and influence on the world stage. This force, or more accurately, this 1 John Stuart Mill, "A Few Words on Non-intervention," Fraser's Magazine (December, 1859). 1 "persuasion," is neo-conservatism. But the ideas that surround this political movement are not restricted to the Republicans in the United States or the Conservatives in Canada. The ideology of the neo-conservatives literally swirls around us like something fast moving that is difficult to explain, define, or understand, since it has also penetrated the opposition parties in both countries. So much so, that the difference between liberals and conservatives is difficult to detect. Just as conservatives have become neo-conservatives, so liberals have become neo-liberals. Much has been written about neo-conservatism over the last decade. Some of what has been written is complimentary, some of it suspicious and critical, and some of it is downright hostile. Commentators familiar with neo-conservatism may associate it with the George W. Bush administration and they would not be wrong. But neo-conservatism goes beyond the Bush Administration; it has existed in one form or another for over five decades, and is still the dominant force in the Republican Party in the United States and the Conservative Party in Canada. Some academics have attempted to expose the neo-conservatives as some form of conspiratorial group with hidden intentions and a malicious agenda. It is easy to see why many might believe this and even espouse it. However, my research has led me to a more benign conclusion. I have found that the views and objectives of the neo-conservatives are more often than not published for all to see in academic journals, littered throughout the print and electronic news media and more recently spoken from podiums by many representatives of the last several presidential administrations. In my thesis, I hope to answer one key question. That question is: what has been the source of the great political success of neo-conservatism? Or put another way, why 2 does its message seem to resonate so strongly with so many people? It seems that its appeal is connected to a general discontent with liberalism, especially among the Religious Right. In a time when liberalism is sometimes associated with rising rates of crime, increasing drug use, decline of the traditional family, and the break down of other important institutions, to many the neo-conservatives seem to offer viable solutions.