The Question
Our nation and the world seemed dim in the late 1970s. Stagflation ruled the economy, America’s standing in the world was in peril, taxes were high, crime was surging, and public confidence was low. For many decades there had been steady growth of government, programs, and safety nets – all failing in various ways. “Elites” led our nation by edict, instead of the consent of the governed.
There was one question on many minds: Where are the conservatives to save us from impending doom?
Then the Reagan Revolution arrived just in time.
The roots of the Reagan Revolution were sown many years before the 1980s. William F. Buckley launched National Review in 1955 and Barry Goldwater wrote The Conscience of a Conservative in 1960. There were other conservative intellectuals like Milton Friedman and Russel Kirk, and more who wrote and preached various conservative principles. Followers of Ayn Rand, libertarians, and Christians aided the cause. The efforts of many culminated with the election of President Reagan.
President Reagan changed everything, but it wasn’t just him. He became the leader of a conservative movement that was decades in the making. Today seems eerily like 1979. Again, we must ask: Where are the conservatives to save us from impending doom?
The Problem
We all know the problems our civilization faces: For decades we have suffered from reckless spending, endless big government programs, and a bureaucracy determined to break the backs of our hardest working citizens. Crime is up, suicide is up, and hatred for America is up. Extreme political division, inflation, economic uncertainty, and “green” policies have stifled productivity. Moreover, our society can no longer agree on simple things like what is a family or what is a woman.
We can blame liberals, progressives, and all the peddlers of “woke” but let’s face the truth: The problems our nation faces are often because conservatives are not making good arguments anymore. This is not about particular politicians, MAGA, or RINOs. It’s about the rank-and-file conservatives.
Each year polls demonstrate many more people identify as conservative than liberal.[i] Not long ago, Nixon and then Reagan each won 49 states and massive majorities. So, why are elections even close these days? One reason is because conservatives currently don’t have a unified understanding of what we believe. There are factions within the conservative movement – not competition, but nasty and costly infighting. There is high degree of unity over what is wrong. The solutions, however, are fuzzy or disjointed from the realities of policy making.
What can we do to bring focus to the conservative movement?
Conservativism Has a Long History of Intellectualism
Large numbers of conservatives have abdicated all ties to academia, intellectualism, and education. They claim elites have hijacked our major institutions and some have resigned rather than fight back. These folks are rightfully skeptical of the elites and planners who wish to govern the rest of us through their bureaucratic schemes. We should not, however, give up the ship. Conservativism has a long history of intellectualism, and it would be prudent to reclaim it.
The Founders of our nation were highly educated men. That tradition continues today with publications like National Review and the Wall Street Journal, through organizations like The Federalist Society, and in various think tanks. Conservative ideas are thoroughly academic, but they are likewise entirely practical too. The intellectual current running through many conservative institutions seems unable to electrify the public. Why?
One reason is because there seems to be a disconnect between the intellectual conservatives and the practical application of conservative principles. Taxes cuts, for instance, make practical sense – more money in my pocket is good. How tax cuts stimulate the economy is a more complex question. It is essential for every conservative to be equipped with a working knowledge of why this happens. Intellectuals can help teach us how to communicate these ideas to our friends and neighbors.
Another reason why intellectual conservatives miss the mark is because of the publishing industry. Book publishing in the United States is so closely tied with academic institutions and media outlets that are hostile to conservatives, it’s easy to become discouraged. But it’s not enough to say, “pound sand, I’ll do what I want” or brandish a “Come and Take It” flag with an AR on it. That is not winning the argument and it’s not winning hearts and minds. We must pressure publishing houses, academia, media, and other institutions to let conservative voices sing.
There are many great books, publications, and academic minds involved in the fight to save our nation. We need to use them. If we are going to win the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens, conservative books must play an important role. Good books can help marry intellectual conservativism with the experiential wisdom upon which most conservatives rely. We need both learned wisdom and wisdom gained through experience for the conservative movement to thrive.
All around us is great passion for truth and good ideas, but we must marry the emotional enthusiasm for conservative ideas with a deep intellectual understanding of the issues. Only through promoting and reading conservative books can we get where we need to go.
What is Conservativism?
Before we proceed, let’s define our terms.
What do we mean by conservative? Conservatives believe in limited government, individual liberty, free markets, and traditional values. Conservatives oppose social engineering, bureaucratic schemes, and government planners who seek to rule our lives. Likewise, conservatism despises a government that takes from those who work hard and gives to those who don’t.
Most conservatives believe in a limited federal government and look to the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution as a guiding force. It reads:
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
In a broader sense, conservativism is about preserving the hard earned and indispensable ideas of the past so history doesn’t repeat itself. For this reason, most conservatives are students of human nature and history. Understanding human behavior and how people have acted in the past, informs us about the future. Consequently, conservatives often think about how to take the best of Western Civilization forward with us.
Classical liberalism is consistent with conservatism because it emphasizes individual freedom to think and do as you wish. So long as your actions do not impede the individual liberty of others, classical liberals believe everyone should be free to think and act as they wish. This is part of healthy democratic debate and governance. These ideas find favor in our founding creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[ii]
Contemporary liberals and progressives, on the other hand, believe government programs can solve most problems, they do not believe in a moral code, and they promote heavy taxes to help fund their social engineering projects. They are focused on forcing equal outcomes, calling it “equity,” instead of creating equal opportunities. These ideas are the antithesis of freedom and enslave people across the nation by stripping them of their own agency and self-respect.
In addition to individual liberty, limited government, free market capitalism, and traditional values, conservatives assume various voices from the past. From Edmond Burke we get the idea that we each engage with our families, communities, organizations we want – not by government edict. Those voluntary associations create our world. We find arguments for “natural law” and necessity for morality to accompany free people.
William F. Buckley defined conservatism as “freedom, individuality, the sense of community, the sanctity of the family, the supremacy of the conscience, the spiritual view of life.”
According to Barry Goldwater “the Conservative looks upon politics as the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.” He continues by arguing that “the practice of freedom requires the establishment of order.” Law and order are required because I can’t be free if someone else is constantly infringing on my freedom.
Lastly, some argue the central theme of conservativism is “ordered liberty.” This might be the simplest and most valuable phrase for conservatives.
Knowing who we are as conservatives, from a macro perspective, is essential to understanding how to move forward.
Why Books are Necessary?
Our nation was founded on three pillars: Religious freedom, principles establishing a democratic republic, and free market capitalism. These ideas are articulated in the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, and Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations.[iii] These pilers are so consistent with each other and so dependent on one another that our nation cannot survive if any of the three crumbles.
If I were to ask if you have heard the phrase, “Separation between church and state,” I bet most have heard it. If I ask, where did it come from and what does it mean, I bet most people would be wrong on both counts.[iv]
Similarly, if I ask what freedom means, most people will assert an idea based on freedom from government intrusion. And that is correct, but it’s not the entire story. Freedom has been cited over and again as freedom from oppression or hardship, thereby necessitating government intervention. The word “freedom” assumes a new definition and actually paves the way for authoritarianism. Understanding how freedom can be used against conservative causes, is necessary for future fights.
If I asked if you have heard of Plato’s Republic, most people have heard about it. If I ask, what does it tell us about modern American politics, I bet most people would prefer not to answer the question. The answer, however, tells the Republican party how to win in 2024.[v]
Lastly, if I ask you to reflect on America sending jobs overseas and how an “American First” policy reconciles with free market capitalism, I think we would all struggle to figure out how to understand an appropriate application of free market theory. There are many good books on the subject.
My point is this: Conservatives are not able to spread our message if we don’t know why we believe what we do. If we cannot completely and accurately articulate to our friends why religious freedom, our existing government, and capitalism are worth fighting for, then we conservatives are just a bunch of phonies. Books by conservative minded thinkers can spotlight the ideas that matter most.
We must understand that these three pillars are like a three-legged stool – if one leg is gone, the stool will not work. If we lose our religion, capitalism will run amuck, and the response will be authoritarian rule. If we lose our government, capitalism will fail, and God will be replaced by government. If we lose capitalism, our government will be overrun by socialist, communist, or fascists.
How Conservative Books Can Change the Game
There are at least four ways books can help conservative principles spread.
1) Learning the Issues
Reading books on contemporary political issues can help conservatives better understand policy and primary objectives. Knowing the issues, data, and latest political trends is essential to engaging in discourse with friends, family, and neighbors.
Additionally, books are well written, re-written, vetted, edited, and the final draft makes the best arguments possible. Books are typically more precise than blogs, talk radio, or TV news because authors consider each and every subject thoroughly before publication – including citations and footnotes to further analysis. For these reasons, books prioritize the best arguments and organize ideas extremely well.
If conservatives fail to understand issues well enough to articulate them to others, then we are unable to help win the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens.
2) Taking Back Academia
There are colleges like Hillsdale and others who have not given into the rise of cancel culture, leftism, and wokeness permeating college campuses. Most campuses have given into the pressure. Even self-professed liberals like Jonathan Haidt think academia has shifted too far towards limiting thought and free speech.
Just because Academia has become unwelcoming to conservatives does not mean we should abdicate responsibility for holding positions in academia. We should raise a generation of academics ready to take up the fight on campus, and ready to teach bright young minds, and ready to research and write truth. There is no better way to educate young people than reading books that matter at a young age.
3) Using Politics and Law
Among the many ways books can help further political causes is by educating politicians and lawyers. These groups hold particularly important positions because they influence the laws under which we all live. There can be no better effort than informing current and future generations of people who are making our laws.
4) Framing the Conversation
Talking heads, twitter posts, and political blogs throw many ideas against the wall to see what sticks. This is not the case with books. Usually, books frame a topic very well by defining terms, discussing a narrow subject, and eliminating distancing points that don’t further the conclusion. When there are too many ideas, or inconsistent thoughts, topics can become muddled and messy. Books have a way of framing issues so readers can take the most from them.
The Opposition
Liberals, progressives, and the left, act in concert. They are bound by an opposition to conservatives – often through inaccurate depictions. Nevertheless, they seem to stay on point and united.
One reason those on the left seem to read from the same sheet of music is because they all read the same books, attend the same classes, preach the same sermons, and watch the same media outlets. As a result, they all have the same political talking points.
They are unified in message because they read the same material. By reading the same material they are able to organize their thoughts and priorities. Making organized arguments and articulating priorities is something conservatives should be more adept at doing. We can do it, like them, by reading the same material.
Weaving It All Together
Something is terribly wrong with our politics and culture today. The problems did not start recently, and no particular person is responsible. But our country faces tremendous problems.
Conservative principles are essential for US citizens to thrive. These principles include
ideas like individual liberty, free market capitalism, limited government, and a belief in God. The ideas dreamed in the Declaration of Independence, and restated by Abraham Lincoln and then Martin Luther King, now seem dull. Those dreams codified by the United Sates Constitution are now under attack. Those principles and laws dreamed of nearly 250 years ago are necessary for our nation and its citizens to reach our full God given potential.
We need to continue learning about these principles so we can share them with future generations.
But it’s more than just those principles, it’s a value system based on hard work, respect for others, honesty, self-control, personal responsibility, rugged individualism, and authentic justice (not the social kind but the just treatment of everyone and fairness).
Since the founding of our great nation, we’ve enjoyed a strong literary tradition. Since its inception, most of the ideas and inventions that have shaped our world have came from the United States of America because we have been free to read and debate and dream up solutions to problems. Freedom has been threatened in recent years, but it’s still alive.
The Answer
Reagan declared in his first inaugural address, “Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem.” His great punchline, however, only works if two things are present: 1) an informed citizenry, and 2) a stable culture – this means religion, a moral code, and unified set of values. As George Washington encouraged in his farewell address, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” A society with ill-informed citizens living without a set of common values, will devolve into anarchy.
With Reagan and Washington in mind, let’s consider the question with which we began: Where are the conservatives to save us from impending doom?
If it’s not me and you, then who among us will learn what we need to spread conservative ideas? Who will help pass the light of freedom to future generations? It seems imprudent to assume someone else is coming to the rescue.
Conservatives need to begin our work today. Let’s commit to educating ourselves. Let’s raise a generation of children who love the Lord, love our country, cherish conservative values, and fill our institutions with life. Let’s begin by finding conservative-minded books to help bridge the gap between intellectual conservatives and practical conservatives. Uniting our many facets is the future of the conservative movement.
[i] https://news.gallup.com/poll/328367/americans-political-ideology-held-steady-2020.aspx
[ii] Declaration of Independence
[iii] Wealth of Nations capitalism and free market economics (1776).
[iv] The First Amendment never uses the term “separation of church and state.” It instead contains two religion clauses: one that prevents Congress (or, since the 14th Amendment, the states) from passing any law establishing a state church or “respecting” such an establishment; and the other protecting the free exercise of religion from government prohibitions. A myth has grown up around Thomas Jefferson’s 1802 phrase “wall of separation” that treats religion, not as a thing the government cannot mandate or regulate, but as a kind of kryptonite the government must avoid any contact with even if it means separation of religious people and institutions from equal participation in what the state provides. The establishment clause didn’t mean this in 1791… https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/supreme-court-the-first-amendment-bans-states-from-excluding-religious-schools-from-school-choice-programs/
[v] Democracy, according to Plato, ends when an authoritarian comes along and tells the people, the government is against them, follow me and I’ll stand up for you. The people follow their leader, the government is toppled, the leader becomes an authoritarian. Sound familiar? It should because this is what happened when Julius Creaser toppled the Roman Republic, it happened during the Russian revolution, and when Hitler assumed power, and now it is the major fear or all Democrats and many Republicans – the 2020 election results and polling data reflect this fear. The Republican pundits in 2022 thought this talking point from the Democrats was silly, until after the midterms and it seemed to have worked. If Republicans are to win the White House and Senate in 2024, it will be by proving to voters our republic is safest in the hands of Republicans.
