Conservatism Without Alexander, Abraham, and Irving by Clyde Wilson

 

Recently by Clyde Wilson: The Founding Fathers’ Guide to the Constitution

Brion McClanahan, one of the best young historians of the day, and I have collaborated on a book

Clyde N. Wilson (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

that ought to be of interest to readers of this site. In fact, you were one of the audiences we had in mind as we wrote.

The book is Forgotten Conservatives in American History (Pelican Publishers). Before you are off-put by the reference to “conservatives” in the title, consider some of the sixteen figures we have treated – John Taylor of Caroline, Condy Raguet, Grover Cleveland, William Graham Sumner. Our goal has been to establish a conservative tradition of thought that, from the War of Independence to the mid-20th century, defended the decentralist, laissez-faire, and non-interventionist regime bequeathed by the best of the Founding Fathers. The true conservatives have been those who wanted to let the American people alone and not hector and dragoon them into schemes of “progress” and foreign entanglement.

Conservatism, for us, has been a powerful and eloquent train of thinkers who have opposed the Hamilton/Lincoln regime of state-capitalism and the Roosevelt/Bush/Irving Kristol agenda of “global democracy.” Our conservatism stands strongly contra to the historic Republican party and to “neoconservative” imperialism. In this we are not so much out-of-step as some may think. Russell Kirk, “the father of modern conservatism,” considered Alexander Hamilton to be no conservative but rather a dubious “innovator.” And more than once Kirk lamented that “the conservative disposition” in the United Stateshas too often been misunderstood by identifying it with rent-seeking behaviour.

RPREVOLU (Photo credit: GunnyG1345)

As we have tried to show, many of the great figures of American literature – James Fenimore Cooper, H.L. Mencken, William Faulkner – fit well into our scheme of true American conservatism. The thinkers Dr. McClanahan and I have presented are perhaps not so much forgotten as they are unheeded, but they are all good men who have warned tellingly of the march toward the regime of regimentation and exploitation that is now established. Not only established but celebrated as the glorious end of history.

July 30, 2012

GyGRet (Photo credit: GunnyG1345)

Clyde Wilson [send him mail] is a recovering professor. Now that he is no longer a professor of history he can at last be a real historian. He is the editor of The Papers of John C. Calhoun.

Copyright © 2012 by LewRockwell.com. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given.

The Best of Clyde Wilson

via Conservatism Without Alexander, Abraham, and Irving by Clyde Wilson.

Related articles

gophum (Photo credit: GunnyG1345)

• The Yankee Problem Again by Clyde Wilson
• Clyde Wilson: Archives… (“I agree with Clyde Wilson that America can’t be saved or returned to its roots until the Republican Party is destroyed.” (Thomas DiLorenzo))
• The Founding Fathers’ Guide to the Constitution by Clyde Wilson
• The Myth of the Morally Superior Yankee by Thomas J. DiLorenzo
• The Myth of the Morally Superior Yankee by Thomas J. DiLorenzo (via ~ The GUNNY “G” BLOG & E-MAIL ~)
• A Review of “Forgotten Conservatives in American History”
• Posner never was a conservative, so how can he become less of one?
• Free Book (Sort Of)
• The Greatest Hinderence to the Conservative Movement: The Republican Party
• The Real DiLorenzo: A ‘Southern Partisan’ Interview
• George Will: The consolation prize (The commerce clause was rejected.)
• (“they called it “Neocon,” the new form of conservatism, it only reminded me of Stalin. It was gulags, controlled press, police state laws, one party rule, all power centralized, everything controlled, a stealth overthrow of America”) When Did the Soviet
• (“Deconstructing the Tea Party”) Election Fraud, Media Deception and the Crisis of Conservatism (Part II) | Veterans Today
• Behind the Crack-Up of the Right
• We are true Americans, and we will not submit
• (“Is The US Run By A Military Junta? It might as well be”) Washington’s Militarized Mindset by Tom Engelhardt
• Gunny G: (is Democracy Really Mob Rule; Is “Genuine” Democracy Preferable to This “Republic”: ?) Democracy Vs. Republic: Another Valid View… ” Citizen.blogger.1984+ Gunny.g Blog.email
• Google Alerts: Gunny G: So, How In The World Did Obama Ever Come To Be … By Gunny G
• OBAMA MENTALLY ILL… ~ J. Grant Swank, Jr. ” CITIZEN.BLOGGER.1984+ GUNNY.G BLOG.EMAIL
• Gunny G: So, How In The World Did Obama Ever Come To Be POTUS? HINT: He Didn’t Do It All By Himself !
• Prison Planet.com ” Homeland Security Report Lists ‘Liberty Lovers’ As Terrorists
• (“…the delegates to the Constitutional Convention are the “We the People of the United States.”") WHO ARE THE “WE THE PEOPLE” IN THE CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE? ~ EDRIVERA.COM ” CITIZEN.BLOGGER.1984+ GUNNY.G BLOG.EMAIL
• (GyG Blog: Gy G Reader Response: Thank God Ron Paul is still crazy, nothing like those Republican Appointees ” CITIZEN.BLOGGER.1984+ GUNNY.G BLOG.EMAIL
• When will Obama crack in public? (via ~ GUNNY G: BLOGGER 1984 (+) BLOG & EMAIL ~)
• Gunny G: What Would Chesty Puller Do?
• LINE OF SUCCESSION IF OBAMA/SOETORO REMOVED FROM OFFICE ~ By: Devvy (via ~ The GUNNY “G” BLOG & E-MAIL ~) (via ~ The GUNNY “G” BLOG & E-MAIL ~)
• America ! Be Truly Afraid By Rand Clifford (via ~ The GUNNY “G” BLOG & E-MAIL ~)
• Gunny G: Let’s be damn sure that no man’s ghost will ever say “If your training program had only done its job.”
• Canada should open its doors for Barack Obama refugees
• Sheriff “Joe” Blows It, the “Bankster Buddy” | Veterans Today
• Will Obama attempt to declare martial law before November election? ” CITIZEN.BLOGGER.1984+ GUNNY.G BLOG.EMAIL
• (“Jury Nullification Is NOW The Law”) New Hampshire Strikes a Blow Against the Sovietized Amerikan ‘Justice’ System by William Norman Grigg
• America ! Be Truly Afraid By Rand Clifford ” CITIZEN.BLOGGER.1984+ GUNNY.G BLOG.EMAIL
• OBAMA MENTALLY ILL… ~ J. Grant Swank, Jr. ” CITIZEN.BLOGGER.1984+ GUNNY.G BLOG.EMAIL
• Prison Planet.com ” Spy Drone Buzzes Journalist’s Secluded Home (“……a “war” being waged by the administration against its political adversaries..”)
• Before It’s News | News | The Corruption Of America Is Complete