American Political Science Review Vol.81 carded.Efforts to read back the left-right lation was in favor of maintaining social distinction into U.S.history,for instance, and economic differences,say anti- succeed only in making a hash of it.In the abortion and anti-inheritance taxes,con- early days of the republic,egalitarians temporary liberals would learn that most pursued their objectives through severe change is bad and their conservative restrictions on central government opponents that change is by and large because they then regarded the center as good. monarchical,that is,hierarchical.Nowa- In a rich analysis of differences and days,after decades of dispute and strug- similarities among left-and right-wing gle,they regard the federal government as activists,McClosky and Chong (1985) a potential source for increasing equality. conclude that "thus,paradoxically, Their egalitarian objectives remain con- despite its patriotic fervour,spokesmen of stant,but their beliefs about what will be the radical right are profoundly antago- efficacious instruments of policy vary nistic to the status quo"(pp.346-47).It is according to the conditions of the times paradoxical if conservatism is identified (cf.Banning 1978). with resistance to change but not if desire Without knowledge of the historical for change depends on perceived distance context,and therefore,without being from desired behavior.Those who look at privy to the internal discussions through life from the conservative perspective which shared meanings are worked out,it "continually lash out against what they is impossible to explain why a given consider to be the government's concilia- culture prefers certain institutional tory stance towards Communism,its sup- arrangements and instruments of policy at port for welfare programmes,(which,in one time and different ones on other occa- their view,rewards laziness and lack of sions.How,nowadays,make sense of the initiative),its encouragement of moral Republican alliance of economic free depravity (sexual license,tolerance of markets and social conservatism or the abortion, homosexuality,etc.),and its Democratic combination of statism with lenient treatment of criminals"(pp. distrust of authority?Is it the "left"that 346-47).If readers believed that,they supports the authority of central govern- might also want big changes.What kind ment and the "right"that opposes it,or is of changes we want depends not nearly so it the "right"that respects authority and much on our predispositions toward the "left"that denigrates it? change per se,as if the destination did not The division of the political universe matter,but on the gap between desired into liberals and conservatives,when and actual power relationships. based on innate tendencies toward The further the distance between the change,is bound to be misleading because real and the ideal,the greater the desire historical context alters whatever the for rapid and radical change.If this prop- various political cultures wish to pre- osition is correct,it should follow that serve.Given the current extent to which "left"or "progressive"forces,when they most proposals for government action consider existing power relationships involve redistribution of income or regu- more desirable than proposals for change, lation of business,it is not surprising that should cling to the status quo with as people who are opposed to these policies much passion as any reactionary who have learned to dislike change.So,when prefers the last century to the present. asked,they reply that most change is for Wandering in the void between the Arti- the worse.People who prefer these pro- cles of Confederation (interpreted as grams respond that they like change. minimal central authority)and the Con- Were the tables turned,so that most legis- stitutional Convention (which,by com- 12