The Conservative Sensibility

FromthePulitzerPrize-winningcolumnist,amonumentalnewreflectiononAmericanconservatism,examininghowtheFounders’beliefinnaturalrightscreatedagreatAmericanpoliticaltradition–onethatnowfindsitselfunderthreat.Formorethanfourdecades,GeorgeF.WillhasattemptedtodiscerntheprinciplesoftheWesternpoliticaltraditionandapplythemtoAmerica’sciviclife.Today,thestakescouldhardlybehigher.Vitalquestionsaboutthenatureofman,ofrights,ofequality,ofmajorityrulearebubblingjustbeneaththesurfaceofdailyeventsinAmerica.TheFounders’vision,articulatedfirstintheDeclarationofIndependenceandcarriedoutintheConstitution,gavethenewrepublicaframeworkforgovernmentuniqueinworldhistory.Theirbeliefsinnaturalrights,limitedgovernment,religiousfreedom,andinhumanvirtueanddignityusheredintwocenturiesofAmericanprosperity.Now,asWillshows,conservatismisunderthreat–bothfromprogressivesandelementsinsidetheRepublicanParty.Americahasbecomeanadministrativestate,justasdestructivetrendshaveovertakenfamilylifeandhighereducation.Semi-autonomousexecutiveagencieswieldessentiallyunaccountablepower.Congresshasfailedinitsdutytoexerciseitslegislativepowers.AndtheexecutivebranchhasslippedtheConstitution’sleash.IntheintellectualbattlebetweenthevisionofFoundingFatherslikeJamesMadison,whoadvancedthenotionofnaturalrightsthatpre-existgovernment,andtheprogressivismfirstadvancedbyWoodrowWilson,theFoundershavebeenlosing.It’stimetoreverseAmerica’spoliticalfortunes.Expansive,intellectuallythrilling,andwrittenwiththeeruditewitthathasmadeWillbelovedbymillionsofreaders,TheConservativeSensibilityisanextraordinarynewbookfromoneofAmerica’smostcelebratedpoliticalwriters.