Conservatives Will Fight On, Scholars Say

CNS News ^ | 3/5/08 | Josiah Ryan

[kiriath_jearim]

Conservatives face difficult times in today's political world and ever-shifting culture, but they will live to fight another day, concluded four scholars at a book forum Tuesday at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

At the event, "The 'Right' Books: The Past, Present, and Future of Conservatism," authors Donald Critchlow, Jacob Heilbrunn, Mark Smith, and John Samples praised the lifetime work of conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., who died last week, Feb. 27, at the age of 82.

Buckley had founded the influential conservative magazine National Review in 1955, wrote numerous books, and saw his twice-weekly column syndicated in at least 300 newspapers.

"Conservatives are in disarray, but they are not going anywhere for a while," said Critchlow, a professor of history at Saint Louis University and editor of the Journal of Policy History. "Every time it has looked like they were down for the count they have been able to pull themselves off the mat and go on for another round," he said.

The four scholars also commented on Buckley's achievement in helping to steer conservatism over the last few decades and how his work has affected the current state of the conservative movement.

"One of the things Buckley did very profoundly was to bring intellectual work into the public arena," said Mark Smith, a political science and communications professor at the University of Washington. "He believed intellectual work needs to have an outward direction of force to make a real difference. Buckley provided a forum."

Smith added that Buckley was very successful in melding intellectuals with politicians. As a result, the relationship between the two has been more fruitful in the last 20 years on the political right than on the political left, said Smith.

Jacob Heilbrunn, senior editor at The National Interest, commented that despite Buckley's apparent distaste for neo-conservatism, the policies of this movement will also outlive both Buckley and the 2008 election.

"I would be astounded if there is a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq," said Heilbrunn. "In that sense, I think neo-conservative ideas will linger on and be a potent source of debate in this campaign and further down the road."