Is American-style conservatism/small government spreading to other Western countries? (unemployment, live)

[belmont22]

Is the advent of global US-based media spreading American political concepts too? Like things like conspiracy theories, libertarianism, anarchism, hyper-capitalism "Greed is Good" type of thinking? Is it becoming more common to hear of these things in places like Australia and Germany than it was in say the Eighties?

[mateo45]

Well, conservatism certainly seems to be alive and well in the E.U., though it appears to be motivated more by "anti-furiner" sentiment, than by 'small gubmint" ideology (maybe 'cuz "social democracies" are so common now, and almost everybody is "on the dole" and receiving state subsidies one way or another there)!

[The Postman]

Not so much the things you mention, but of course there are those who are very pro-business and often critical of Australia being a 'nanny state' with a lot of laws, or a welfare state. I heard more about 'dole bludgers' in the 90s though, when unemployment was higher. I think our political situation is different here, we're cynical of politicians, but it seems people in general aren't as passionate about politics and our system seems a bit more egalitarian.