The "vastly different" cultural and economic climate you refer to is a result of the de-Christianization of Western society and its rejection of the natural law as a basis of human law. You are defending the very liberalism that has undercut Western civilization - a civilization predicated on the Christian (Catholic) religion and the institution of the Christian monarchy.
It's all a cycle tho, we are on the downside of Plato's anakyklosis of government. We will not return to monarchy until we return to the Truth.
The core of liberalism is opposition to Catholic doctrine and practice. American conservatives are actually liberals.