What is the most conservative and what is the most revolutionary country(ies)?

I'm mainly interested in this in terms of USA and Europe. But, we get a lot about the conservative side of America, in terms of issues like interracial couples, abortion, homosexuality etc. But is that over portrayed to us? Where is the most conservative, USA or Europe, factoring it all in. I got told, slight smugly and pompously by a Canadian girl that she had established Europe was.
I'd like to factor in the issue of ridding oneself of a monarchy, like France and the US did, where the UK didn't, alongside social issues because conservatism has different dimensions. I'd also like to separate Britain from mainland Europe.
To me, we are more conservative than Europe and the founders of the US, in one respect, ie the preservation of monarchy and the acceptance of rigid class boundaries, as well as many mores unique to us. However, class does seem to exist in Europe and seemingly as America gets older is becoming more pronounced there. Also my feeling is that on social issues such as 'racially mixed' marriage, we have been way ahead and more unconcerned than the US and much of Europe, especially the east. London has the highest rate in the world. Is this just a case of people being exposed to each other though and not linked to any particular conservatism, or is it linked to wider issues?

Personally I think despite the bad sides to America and the caricatures, the ignorant people, there's also a lot that are open minded and interested in much deeper things than some very uniform, narrow minded Brits who seem to feel comfortable with small topics, and class based pedantry seems to still inform their behaviour. Just by going online about a wide range of hobbies, watching TV and all, you can see the American meritocratic and free ideal, they are confident, highly informed and savvy and not bound in that way by constraints of class and protocol, and ho has the right to speak with authority, etc, they are interested in bigger topics and at times I can see how their economy has been the way it has...by comparison I look at the pomp and ceremony here, I think of having my curiosity stifled and how people were put in their place in my youth, how people acted in that way to get class approval, ho was deemed important, and I think it's a pompous joke compared to the meritocratic and much more effective Americans. That said they do have a seemingly entrenched racial divide and no way around it, they have some highly conservative habits too. I can't speak for mainland Europe in these things.

Anyway, I'd like to hear from Mainland Europeans, Brits and American on this. Hear your own perceptions.

Reply 1

WokSz

It's important you understand that your idea of conservative ideals are far too simplistic. You're assuming that all conservatives believe in, for example, prohibiting homosexuals from marrying or that religious dogma should be enforced on all. This is the same thing as me saying that all left-leaning individuals agree with communism (they clearly don't or Britain under Tony Blair would have been a very different country).

It's equally important you understand that it would be incorrect to assume that conservatives in one country are the same as a party in another. For example, despite the similarities, UKIP and the SVP/UDC (Swiss Conservative party) share the exact same ideology. There is a world of difference in their aims, both economically but also socially.

Reply 2

Rorschach II

I want to see more replies to this. :grin:

Reply 3

Rakas21

I think it's really hard to pinpoint exact states.

From an economic point of view it's clear that Europe has the more revolutionary parties. Syriza is in government and a few other states are ruled by the left, in France the opposition parties (Corbyn's Labour and the National Front) are extremely far left economically..

From a social point of view it really depends on the issue and which US/European state we talk about.

Reply 4

SaucissonSecCy

Original post by Rakas21

Ok coastal America vs Western Europe let's say. To kickstart some debate..

Reply 5

Rakas21

Original post by SaucissonSecCy

Ok coastal America vs Western Europe let's say. To kickstart some debate..

I'd say that the UK, France and Spain are more socially conservative than north east US (the former British colonies) but less so than the south east.

Reply 6

Illiberal Liberal

Iran is revolutionarily conservative.

Reply 7

SaucissonSecCy

Original post by Rakas21

I'd say that the UK, France and Spain are more socially conservative than north east US (the former British colonies) but less so than the south east.