Conservatism, Radicalism and Fundamentalism

Do opposite poles attract each other? Conservatism is usually seen as the antidote of political radicalism and fundamentalism. Conservatism and Radicalism are depicted as being in a mutually exclusive relationship. Nevertheless, a number of recent instances in politics hint at a different sort of relationship between conservatism and radicalism. The radical discourse of the Tea Party, David Cameron’s self-declared ‘radicalism’, or the Norwegian terrorist Breivik’s definition of himself as a ‘radical conservative’ indicate the need to reflect upon the nature of the relation between conservatism, radicalism and fundamentalism.