Conservative Minds

Special Guest - Avi Woolf, writer and Twitter influencer, joins our discussion.

Goodhart sees Britain divided between two principal political groups: the educated and geographically mobile 'Anywheres', and the working class with strong attachments to local places and people that he calls 'Somewheres'. We find many parallels with the cultural divide in the United States.

Special Guest - Kevin Vallier joins us to discuss his book Trust in a Polarized Age

Vallier argues that there is a close relationship between partisan divergence and trust. He explains the interaction between societal and political trust. He believes falling trust and increasing partisan divergence are mutually reinforcing

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In a recent New Yorker article, journalist Nicholas Lemann explores the future of the Republican Party after Trump. We discuss the scenarios he puts forth and offer some of our own guesses.

Reading the Left from a conservative perspective series

Marx and Engels see the world as a story of class struggle. Oppressor and oppressed facing off in constant opposition. During the industrial revolution, the authors identify the bourgeoisie as the oppressor who exploits the proletariat. The authors declare communism the solution, including the abolition of private property and the centralization of industry and finance.

Special Guest - Rachel Bovard joins us to discuss her book Conservative: Knowing What to Keep

Contrary to conventional expectations, political parties do not remain static. In his recent Federalist article, Kyle explored what the choice of Kamala Harris means for the future Democratic coalition. He wrote another article about Trump's growing Hispanic support. We discuss what the Democratic and Republican parties might look like in the coming years.

Cooke describes his political philosophy that combines elements of conservatism and libertarianism. We also discuss the differences between these two temperaments. What do libertarians believe? Why does it seem like libertarians used to be Republican but have now shifted into the Democratic coalition?

Douthat argues that Western civilization finds itself on a treadmill. The speed of growth and innovation has slowed. Fresh discoveries and new worlds seem out of reach. And we find ourselves aging, comfortable and stuck, cut off from the past and no longer optimistic about the future.

Meyer pioneered the the idea of combining the traditionalist and libertarian strains of conservatism into one unified theory that later became known as "fusionism." For Meyer, a conservative is someone who believes in objective morality, an elevated individual, limited government, and the Constitution of the United States as originally conceived.

Reading the Left from a conservative perspective series

Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains. That's how Rousseau begins his famous treatise on government. When the people take charge, the general will is always rightful and the decisions will always be good. Rousseau calls for enforcing equality and establishing a censorship tribunal.