>I see the core meaning as tending to conservation of the status quo, which is not what corporatists want at all: they want to change the status quo in favour of corporations.

Perceptive and true.

In the US, however, "conservatism" has long leaned toward laissez-faire. That allows zillion-dollar corporations to claim that they're being "conservative" when they want to abolish industry regulations that protect workers, consumers, and the economy.

Some even want to dump the Environmental Protection Agency, which impedes "growth" by trying (with some success) to clean up the nation's air and water. But, hey, who needs clean air and water? Big-government liberals, that's who! Entrepeneurs don't need that stuff!