Conservatism in America Since 1930: A Reader - Hardcover

"In recent years, historians have discovered just how important an influence conservatism has been in the shaping of modern American culture and politics. Greg Schneider has been in the forefront of that effort, and he now provides us with a fascinating collection of readings that trace the evolution of conservative thought. His thoughtful selection of materials and his instructive commentary bring alive the history of a significant intellectual and political tradition. A first-rate achievement." -Robert M. Collins,University of Missouri, Columbia "Liberals and conservatives alike should have no trouble endorsing this anthology from 70 years of the conservative movement in the United States." -Library Journal "An ambitious book, chock-full of the learned and provocative writing that characterized the opposition party all throughout the strife-torn 20th century. It is brutally honest about the movement's current predicament." -The American Conservative "Gregory Schneider's Conservatism in American since 1930 is the best collection of conservative writings available today. Including every major conservative statement worth reading, this is a book that will be read and reread." -Donald T. Critchlow,Saint Louis University "All the greats-Buckley, Hayek, Kirk, Friedman, Reagan-are represented in the fine anthology edited by Gregory L. Schneider, and the gloves occasionally come off" -National Review

While there have long been libertarians, agrarians, individualists, collectivists, nationalists, and others who fit the contemporary label of "conservative," no cohesive conservative movement existed prior to World War II. How, then, did conservatism develop into such a powerful American political force? Tracing the history of conservatism from the concerns and ideas of the Old Right, through the Cold War, the "Gingrich revolution," and into the present, Conservatism in America Since 1930 gathers a wide range of conservative writings and documents showcasing the development and protean character of the modern conservative intellectual and political movement. The book includes essays from Russell Kirk, Milton Friedman, F.A. Hayek, William F. Buckley, Jr., Ronald Reagan, and Pat Buchanan, among others, and highlights key debates between the movement's factions. Along with essays by these canonical conservative figures, the volume also contains excerpts from sources less frequently cited, such as the Twelve Southerners and Seward Collins, as well as documents from conservative organizations and journals. The primary documents are supplemented by introductions which set the historical context and offer illuminating commentary on how conservatism shifted identity over the course of modern American history.