Reverse the link between social and economic conservatism.

It has sometimes accured to me (and many others) that what we consider left and right consists of multiple issues that are assigned rather arbitarily to each side. An example is the fact that in most western countries the party that is right wing economically will also will be right wing with regard to moral issues. This is despite the fact that it is hard to see how whether or not the state should run the economy has much to do with whether abortion should be legal (to quote one example at random) and the fact that among the population this pairing of views is by no means universal.
So my question is how can the various events that led to the development of the western political system be reversed so that what we consider moral and social rightwing is paired with the economic left wing and visa versa. Could prehaps a larger involvement of the church in leftwing issues cause it to come about? And what effects might such an allignment have on the world.
 
Well there's a few things, and I'm just talking about America here. You could ascribe it to how partys play their base. The Liberals managed to alienate a lot of blue collar people from the New Deal coalition by bringing in the New Left, and they were also turned off by certain extreme elements on the Left wing during the 60's and somewhat into the 70's. So even if those blue collar people would have voted for Roosevelt and Kennedy, you'll see them turn towards Nixon and Reagan. The Conservatives, meanwhile, to pick up those people take up the gaunlet of being about "traditional values". They also manage to link their base who focuses on social issues with economic beliefs. So even if you don't support tax breaks for the rich and corporations, well there's gays over here, and that evil welfare over there. And look at those kooky lefties over there who you'd be joining if you jumped ship.

It's like a box of chocolates. You may hate the coconut one, but there's the other one you like.

I might have deviated off topic, but maybe you could get something out of that.
 
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