Social conservatism is a belief in traditional morality and social mores and the desire to preserve these in present day society, often through civil law or regulation. Social change is generally regarded as suspect, while social values based on tradition are generally regarded as tried, tested and true. It is a view commonly associated with conservative religious groups, militarism and nationalism.
Opponents of social conservatism argue that tradition is not necessarily a source of wisdom. Many views and values, for instance, which were at one time viewed as "traditional" are now viewed as outdated or even barbaric, such as slavery, the excessive use of corporal punishment, and in many Western countries (but not the U.S.), capital punishment. Proponents of social conservatism counter that many "modern" values are also vapid and corrupt, often pointing to the perceived deterioration of the family over the past century as a result of increased social acceptance of divorce and promiscuity.
The meaning of social conservatism may vary between locations, depending on the social, religious and nationalistic traditions of a particular locale. It may be, for instance, socially conservative to promote "traditional" marriage in a Protestant, Mormon, or Catholic community, but socially conservative to promote polygamy in a devoutly Muslim community. What is considered to be socially conservative is therefore very much dependent on what is considered traditional.
Social extreme authoritarians believe that the government should control society, assuring that moral values are enforced and order is well-maintained, even if that means the sacrifice of individual rights.
Strong social libertarians generally believe that the government should not judge morality, and are generally against the illegalization of things that do not directly affect other people in a negative way.
Many strong social libertarians may also be social progressives, favouring legislation to correct what they see as socially backwards governmental regulation, although some simply wish for the government to make no judgement on social matters.
The values are cultural as well as social, and primarily relate to individual behaviour and social norms, rather than the state and its structure.
It is symbolically important precisely because it undermines the traditional social fabric, and the traditional values related to the family and marriage, and because it contravenes the widespread religious taboo on homosexuality.
The conflation of social and economic conservatism in the US means that the term Liberal is often especially associated with government spending on programs such as welfare.
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