Conservative conferences reveal split between thinkers and populists
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The ExCeL Centre rises from London’s former docklands like an architectural anomaly, its vast structure dominating the regenerated landscape where the world’s busiest port once thrived. The venue’s entrance, a concrete corridor lined with mid-market eateries, stretches endlessly, complete with golf carts standing ready for exhausted visitors.
This sprawling space hosted the second gathering of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC), drawing 4,000 attendees to explore conservative thought in the modern era. The event featured an impressive roster of right-leaning intellectuals, including historians, commentators, and political figures such as Niall Ferguson, Douglas Murray, Bari Weiss, and environmental contrarian Bjorn Lomborg. The lineup extended to former Australian prime ministers, Harvard’s Arthur Brooks, Jordan Peterson, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Curtis Yarvin, and Konstantin Kisin, alongside political figures Mike Johnson and Kemi Badenoch.
As ARC concluded, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) commenced in Washington, D.C., creating an intriguing contrast. While some speakers, including Johnson and former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, addressed both audiences, the events diverged significantly in tone and content. CPAC showcased Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk, with Steve Bannon generating controversy through a provocative gesture that prompted Jordan Bardella’s withdrawal.
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This divide exemplifies the current schism in conservative thought: ARC’s intellectual discourse versus CPAC’s populist theatrics. It represents the struggle between establishment conservatives and populist insurgents, between globalization’s beneficiaries and its critics, between academic analysis and social media rhetoric.
Contemporary conservatism emerged from Cold War dynamics, built on social values, free market principles, and anti-communist foreign policy. This framework weakened after Iraq War missteps and the 2008 financial crisis, leaving traditional values as the primary pillar, though even these face challenges from identity politics.
Trump’s broad appeal, demonstrated by gains across 49 states and increased support among minority voters, paradoxically reinforces both unity and division within conservative ranks. The movement now confronts a new phenomenon: the “woke Right,” shaped by social media dynamics and institutional mistrust.
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The conservative movement’s evolution mirrors broader societal tensions, particularly visible at ARC. While main stage discussions focused on future-oriented liberal conservatism, sidebar conversations centered on traditional values, education, and cultural preservation. This tension between preserving tradition and embracing technological progress defines modern conservatism’s internal dialogue and electoral coalition.
These factional dynamics, playing out at venues like the ExCeL Centre, will determine conservatism’s future direction. The movement’s challenge lies in reconciling its various strands – traditional, liberal, and populist – while maintaining electoral viability in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
