What is Conservatism? with Daniel McCarthy
December 7, 2022
Life and Books and EverythingClearly Reformed
Several months ago, Daniel McCarthy—editor of Modern Age and Editor-at-Large of The American Conservative—published an essay in First Things entitled “The Right Right.” McCarthy’s essay was a review of Yoram Hazony’s Conservatism: A Rediscovery and Matthew Continetti’s The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism. In this episode of LBE, McCarthy talks about what was commendable in both books, and where both works can be fairly critiqued. Kevin asks Daniel about his review, about Willmoore Kendall’s populist conservatism, and how to reaffirm the importance of Christianity as “public truth” in America.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro and Sponsor
1:53 Guest: Daniel McCarthy
4:29 What is a Conservative?
9:17 Populism: Plebiscites and Demagogues
38:39 A Conservatism for Today
53:33 Yoram Hazony Critique
1:01:52 Parallel Developments in Evangelicalism
1:09:12 Avant-Garde Conservatism
Books:
The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism
Conservatism: A Rediscovery
The Conservative Affirmation
The Basic Symbols of the American Political Tradition
Russell Kirk: American Conservative
The Virtue of Nationalism
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