Neoconservatism’s Mini-Revival

The great thing about neoconservatism is the way it’s become a universal bogeyman. On the one hand neoconservatives – by which I mean actual neoconservatives – are criticised by the right for their utopian dreams of a better, more liberal, more democratic Arab world; on the other neoconservatives – by which I mean people who generally aren’t neoconservatives at all – are criticised by the left for urging caution in this present Egyptian crisis. Look at these dastardly neocon hypocrites backing Mubarak! It’s a lose-lose moment for neoconservatism. So much so, in fact, that the term has been stripped of almost all meaning and now simply stands for Stuff I Don’t Like.

Nevertheless, neconservatism is neither as monolithic, nor as widespread as often imagined. Not that it’s an important aspect of this week’s tumultuous events, but the demonstrations in Egypt might at least allow a slightly more nuanced understanding of neoconservatism to regain some ground.