Was Disney conservative or progressive?
His politics were conservative, but his approach to theme parks was a mixed bag.
Think of Main Street USA; it's pure nostalgia, and conservatives love the past.
Think about EPCOT; Disney's vision of how people will live in the future was a progressive idea. Also, Disney was very interested in public transportation -people mover,monorail- and thats progressive mentality as well.
What do you think? Conservgressive maybe?
I keep going back to that great conversation I had with Sam Gennawey last year. Walt defies description using contemporary scales since he was from a different era - some of what passes for "conservative" positions back then would be considered wildly progressive today. (Non-theme park example: When I was a kid the local Planned Parenthood board of directors was inevitably the local Republican women's club. Yeah, that's changed)
Walt's vision of urban planning was modernist, something distinct from today's post-modern era. Heck, a conservative today would consider Walt's EPCOT the most God-forsaken Communist idea imaginable. And today's liberals would just cream Walt over voting rights for EPCOT residents. So, hey, at least Walt would bring both sides together in absolutely hating his idea. ;^)
All that said, I love the word Conservgressive. Although I'm pretty partial to Progressative, too.
Walt liked control. City planning ideas aside, he would have absolutely hated government stepping in and interfering with his projects. It's one of the reasons he went to Florida to build...they gave him a sweetheart deal that contained virtually no government interference whatsoever. Walt was also anti-communist and anti-union...not an uncommon position for the head of a company. All that points to a conservative viewpoint.
Of course he was also accused of being a fascist and an antisemitic, characteristics that are contrary to true conservatism. He flirted with the early Nazi party, but it's thought that he did that to get a film distribution deal in Germany. His city planning ideas weren't entirely original, but the purpose was the same as his parks...to create a safe environment free of danger. That's usually how a liberal/socialist program starts.
He was a diehard Republican. He loved Eisenhower. However, I think he would be considered more of a moderate today (maybe)
Nuff said
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