CATEGORY: CONSERVATISM (7 MIN)

Resurrecting Reagan

For American conservatives, perhaps no name evokes stronger emotion than that of our fortieth president, Ronald Reagan. Reagan stood at the forefront of a conservative revolution, leading the country during a time of economic recovery and helping orchestrate the closing days of the Cold War. His relentless optimism inspired millions.

Today, many strands of conservatives wish to draw on Reagan as a muse. And just last month, ISI hosted a Modern Age debate over Reagan’s beliefs. Washington Post writer Henry Olsen argued Reagan stood for more populist ideas than people might think, while scholar and author Donald Devine characterized Reagan as a fusionist with many libertarian solutions.

Devine continued his argument in the pages of The American Spectator, battling Olsen’s contentions, in particular the idea that Reagan was in some way an FDR-style New Dealer. Devine cites multiple sources and his own personal experience in the Reagan administration to highlight the contrasts between Reagan and FDR. Devine points to cuts to Social Security, proposed reductions in Medicare, and non-defense spending cutbacks as evidence.

Devine also clashes with Olsen over fusionism, the mixing of traditionalist values and libertarian freedom. In fact, much of their Reagan row seems to serve as a proxy for the fight between populist conservatism and fusionism.

Read Devine’s article and learn more about this debate here.

Weekly Poll

RESULTS: 11/23/23

Last week, we asked: What is the best Thanksgiving side dish? Here are the results:

[A] Stuffing - 53.1%
[B] Mashed potatoes - 18.4%
[C] Green bean casserole - 6.1%
[D] Roasted brussels sprouts - 6.1%
[E] Sweet potato casserole - 12.2%
[F] Other - 4.1%

Do you think Ronald Reagan was more of a populist or a fusionist?

[A] Populist
[B] Fusionist
[C] Unsure

CATEGORY: CONSERVATISM (22 MIN)

Whose liberalism?

Notre Dame professor and author Patrick Deneen earned a great deal of attention for his 2018 work Why Liberalism Failed, in which he criticized liberalism in its many forms. Deneen would include both progressive and classical liberalism in that critique. His writing attracted many responses, including from Yale Law professor Samuel Moyn in a 2023 book: Liberalism against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times.

In American Affairs, Deneen replies to Moyn’s new book, revealing their differing characterizations of liberalism and their thoughts about the best future for American thought. Deneen mentions many of his agreements with Moyn, including their shared belief that “neoliberalism,” which stemmed from Cold War liberalism, has harmed the West. But then Deneen digs into the meat of their disagreement.

Deneen says Moyn separates liberalism into two progressive and classical strands, and that Moyn believes parts of liberalism are worth saving. Deneen, on the other hand, argues the two strands cannot really be separated from one another, since “progressive” liberalism stems from “classical” liberalism. Deneen also “would prefer to bury them both” rather than resuscitating that which cannot be saved.

Deneen also dives into a deep analysis of the other contentions in Moyn’s book. Read his full essay right here.