ABSTRACT
American conservatism is most often explained by the "consensus" claims that, in effect, American workers—and the general public, for that matter—have been basically conservative, admiring, and unquestioning fans of capitalism. Internal constraint theories, like consensus ones, focus on the working class in explaining American conservatism. The role of class conflict and elite behavior is recognized, but overriding that role is the emphasis on internal labor conflict based on race, ethnicity, religion, ideology, skill level, and other divisions. Race conflict has also had a major impact on US politics but largely because of its manipulation by conservatives in both parties. Most socialist parties finally supported the war. The American Socialist Party opposed it, as did vast numbers of Americans, perhaps a vast majority, but the harsh repression of American war and draft dissenters was even more exceptional than the dissent itself.
