# Conservative America


By way of [The Longbow
Papers](http://www.josephbosco.com/2004/09/article-you-must-read-america.html),
a [very good
article](http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-glaesar26sep26,0,5625003.story?coll=la-sunday-commentary)
that explains why the US is so much more conservative than similar
countries in Europe.

Extracts: “At the start of the 20th century, the U.S. looked progressive
compared with Europe’s empires. The big difference between the U.S. and
Europe is that the U.S. kept its 18th century Constitution, while most
European countries discarded theirs.” … “By contrast, the U.S. has not
lost a war on its home soil and thus has never faced the internal
disruptions caused by such a collapse.” … “The nation’s racial
heterogeneity also partly explains its conservatism. U.S. heterogeneity
sharply contrasts with the much greater homogeneity in Canada, Britain
and continental Europe. People are much less likely to support income
redistribution to people who are members of different racial or ethnic
groups.”

Stian