Contemporary Economic Conservatism: An Incoherent Mishmash

This paper argues that contemporary conservatives push two major economic ideas: the use of markets rather than government to guide resource allocation and the avoidance of governmental actions to redistribute income. Although the first is subject to several caveats, the author accepts that it embodies an important truth. The second, in contrast, is apparently motivated by a desire not to have one's own income reduced ("greed"), rather than any philosophically defensible position. If the two are politically associated there is a danger that they will be seen as part of the same position, which will lead to tarring the market by associating it with greed.