Democrats Are More Conserative Than Republicans

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And as promised, here is the script from my video:

Who’s conservative? Are YOU conservative?
I’m Mr. Beat, and, in some ways, I am conservative. In other ways, not so much. Dictionary? (the magical Dictionary is thrown at Mr. Beat)

When it comes to politics, “conservatism” is a set of beliefs that promotes preserving traditional values. And when I say “traditional,” I mean stuff handed down from generation to generation to generation to generation…you get the idea, right? Being a conservative means you also often want to protect traditional customs, culture, and institutions. Generally speaking, conservatives are cool with the status quo, with keeping things…more or less…the same.

Conservatives often get classified as “right wing.” However, as I explained in THIS video which I released SIX YEARS AGO HOLY POOP, uhhh yeah as I explained in that video that can be misleading because the whole right wing-left wing spectrum is problematic, to say the least. In the United States of America, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76g-chfBEz8&t=65s Yes, USA, we have two major political parties (awww). The Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

When most Americans hear “conservative” they don’t think “cautious about institutional change.” They think low taxes, pro guns, strong border, anti-abortion. And indeed, for most of my entire life, the Republican Party has generally been considered the more “conservative” party in the United States…the party that wanted to keep things the same. The party of traditional values. The Democratic Party, on the other hand, was considered the LESS conservative party. Ya know, the party that wanted to change things. By the way, Republicans have only been calling Democrats “liberal” since the 1980s.^1 Both parties used to call themselves that before then.

Anyway, in this video, I’m going to make a take that’s hot. I think there’s a compelling argument that the Democratic Party is actually the more conservative major political party in recent years. 

But wait. Hold up! Will you please hear me out? (looking down) Oh no! You already smashed that dislike button. My career is over. Dangit! Well, I guess, I should just be captured by my audience. Whatever you say goes. You’re right. (walks off)

Nah dude. In this video, let’s make the argument that the Democratic Party is the more conservative political party. Ya know…just for funsies.

(but first)
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(and now back to an unhinged take from Mr. Beat) 

Here is why I think there’s a solid argument that the Democratic Party is the more conservative major American political party in recent years. Hey! Keep an open mind, Jackie. 

First of all, my definition of “conservatism,” which again is a set of beliefs that promotes preserving traditional values, goes back to the OG conservative, Edmund Burke, considered one of the most influential conservative philosophers of the 1700s, baby. Burke hated the French Revolution’s radical upheaval. He hated tearing down everything old for abstract ideals like “liberty, equality, fraternity.” Nah dude. Burke argued for prudence…cautious, gradual change. Respect existing institutions, man. Preserve what works. Burke famously said society is a “partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born.”^2

Based on all that, if Burke was around today, I speculate he might consider the Democratic Party the more conservative party right now. And here are three reasons why…

Reason #1
Defending Institutions and Democracy (January 6th footage)

The Democratic Party seems to be for conserving the country’s core political institutions, or the rules, norms, and organizations that have guided our behavior for generations. Ya know…stuff like federal agencies, the three branches of government, separation of powers among them and within them, checks and balances, federalism, free and fair elections, peaceful power transfers, or the Constitution itself. The Republican Party, more often than not, seems to question these political institutions.

Here’s a prime example of this.
After the presidential election of 2020, millions of Republican voters, as well as a majority of Republican members of Congress, challenged the election results. They protested across the country. All of this culminated with the January 6 United States Capitol attack, which saw President Donald Trump supporters violently raid the Capitol building in order to prevent the certification of the election results. Flash forward to the presidential election of 2024, and Democratic voters, even though many of them were shocked and all of them disappointed, overwhelmingly accepted the results. 

Here’s another example.
In his second term, Trump has overhauled federal agencies, fired thousands of civil servants, went to war without Congress, and straight up consolidated power in the executive branch. If Burke was around today, he’d call that radical experimentation, not careful conservation. Hundreds of political scientists have said that the United States is straight up headed toward authoritarianism.^3 In case there was any confusion here, the United States has never been an authoritarian country. (well not fully)

The Democratic Party, meanwhile, has moved into the role of “institutionalist.” They are consistently trying to protect government agencies and Congressional norms.

Reason #2
Foreign Policy and the New World Order
This is probably the clearest example.
Since World War Two, “conservative” foreign policy often meant “internationalism.” It meant strong alliances and American leadership influence over the rest of the world, particularly with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, a military alliance of 32 European and North American democratic countries. (Tear Down This Wall speech)
That was the Republican brand! But today, many prominent Republicans, led by Trump of course, have turned their backs on allies. They’ve questioned NATO and pulled back from international agreements. (America First)

And who seems to be defending the post-World War Two global order now? The Democrats. THEY are the ones arguing for the preservation and even strengthening of the alliance system that has defined the last 80 years. 

Reason #3
Free Markets Under Attack
For a long time, being “conservative” meant being cool with free trade and against protectionism, or the restriction of trade to PROTECT domestic industries from foreign competition. Today? Oh they’re much cooler with protectionism. They’re perfectly cool with using the power of government to pick winners and losers through tariffs and trade wars. The biggest critics of tariffs have been Democrats. (clip)

The Republican Party used to mostly be the party of Wall Street and Big Business. Now, the Democratic Party is just as much in bed with Wall Street and Big Business, if not more so.^4 

Ok, let’s be real here. This isn’t a slam dunk.
Legit Counterarguments

On social and cultural issues, Republicans still generally lean more conservative. Many Republicans are against abortion expansion, against the federal government doing anything about climate change, against too much immigration, for school choice, for traditional family structures, and for traditional gender roles. On all these issues, the Democrats are still the party of change. 

Many Republicans also more consistently talk about FISCAL conservatism, or making sure the government doesn’t spend so much money. Well, they TALK about it, but Republicans currently in power have done nothing to actually reign in spending in recent years.

Now, some modern Republicans might even argue that they are trying to RESTORE an older America…like before the federal government dramatically grew throughout the 20th century. Ok, fair point I guess, but even supposed RESTORATION requires massive, dramatic upheaval. You can’t go back to 1956 without tearing apart A LOT of what exists in 2026. That’s not preservation. That’s revolution.

The bottom line is, when we look at the FUNCTION of the two political parties, the roles have flipped. The Republican Party is now the party of radical reform, populism, and dismantling institutions. The Democratic Party is the party of institutionalism, international stability, and preserving the status quo.

So the argument ain’t that Democrats are conservative on everything. They’re just more conservative on the fundamentals of government- the rule of law, institutions, and cautious change. And I have to point out that a growing number of Democrats are NOT like that. Many Democrats are now calling for more dramatic reforms like universal health care, universal basic income, a wealth tax, and straight up amending the Constitution to end partisan gerrymandering and bring in a number of voting reforms. Then again, calling to AMEND the Constitution, as opposed to just straight up REINTEPRETING THE CONSTITUTION HOWEVER YOU WANT TO….still seems somewhat conservative these days.

Politics isn’t static. As I point out in my Party Systems video, political parties evolve. And even political labels can mean different things to different people and at different times in history. For decades, “conservative” has often been interlinked with stability, responsibility, and caution, all qualities most voters value. “Liberal,” on the other hand, has often been interlinked with recklessness, radicalism, and instability, things most voters distrust.

My main point is this- whenever a politician calls themselves a “conservative,” ask them WHY they call themselves a conservative. Voters should judge based on principles, not labels. I consider MYSELF a conservative when it comes to certain aspects of my country that have been around for centuries- stuff like the separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, the rule of law. 

Sure, the BRAND of conservatism may still be associated with the Republican Party, but the PRACTICE of conservatism is arguably more associated with the Democratic Party these days. 

That doesn’t make the Democrats right or the Republicans wrong. It doesn’t mean you should vote one way or another. It just means our political vocabulary is struggling to keep up with a quickly shifting political reality. 

And honestly? I think that’s worth knowing. Which is why I’m going to make a video about it. I promise. (looking around) Apparently I already did and I’m currently in it and you just watched it. Ha!

But what do YOU think? Am I just full of crap? I mean, all of us are full of crap. It’s why we go to the bathroom. Anyway, let me know down below, and watch out for the bots. Thanks for staying curious!

______________________________________________
^1.  https://janda.org/politxts/PartyPlatforms/LIberal%20as%20a%20Dirty%20Word.pdf
^2.  https://www1.cmc.edu/pages/faculty/welliott/teachers/burke.htm
^3. https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5340753/trump-democracy-authoritarianism-competive-survey-political-scientist
^4.https://www.npr.org/2020/08/17/902626429/wall-streets-big-money-is-betting-on-biden-and-democrats-in-2020#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Center%20for%20Responsive%20Politics%2C,slightly%20more%20than%20half%20going%20to%20Democrats

Sources/further reading:
https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/burke1790.pdf 
https://democracyproject.org/posts/why-conservatives-must-defend-liberal-democracy 
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt1xx4p4 
https://peterlevine.ws/?p=8791 
https://www.newyorker.com/news/hendrik-hertzberg/naked-truths

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