GLOBAL CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA

From July 08-10, 2024, Washington DC hosted the fourth edition of National Conservatism conference.

- YASHOWARDHAN TIWARI

In close proximity with the center of power of the United States, the venue of the conference was abuzz with serious discussions about the challenges faced by Western civilization due to the rise of social issues such as wokeism, Islamic fundamentalism, and the illegal immigration crisis. This edition of the conference was unique in terms of the participation of an Indian delegation for the first time. The delegation led by Dr. Ram Madhav and Swapan Dasgupta shared the Indian viewpoint on the possibility of a global conservative movement. I had the privilege to have an opportunity and be a part of the Indian delegation, and the proceedings at the conference were revealing both in terms of the magnitude of issues faced by Western conservatives and the innovative ways of handling them. A crucial point that resonated with the participants at the conference was a need for consensus, not just on an ideological plane but also at a practical level.

At the conference, there was an acknowledgement about the significance of India on the world stage, and its centrality to carving a global conservative consensus.

Most Indians tend to be deeply religious, culturally rooted and practice everyday religiosity in their personal spaces. A large majority of them also adhere to conservative values, favor the preservation of their culture and tradition in the public sphere as well, and are votaries of a socio-political worldview shaped by the practice of these values. This article primarily focuses on the challenges such culturally rooted Indians face in actively contributing as a collective to any attempt towards shaping a global conservative movement, and tries to provide some starting points for a cross-cultural dialogue.

SHEDDING THE BAGGAGE OF COLONIALISM

The conservative thinkers in the West need to understand that several nations of the Global South are former colonies and have been victims of Western imperialism.