The Conscience of a Conservative
Encyclopedia
The Conscience of a Conservative is a book published under the name of Arizona
Senator
and 1964 Republican
presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
in 1960. The book reignited the American conservative
movement and made Barry Goldwater a political star. The book has influenced countless conservatives in the United States, helping to lay the foundation for the Reagan Revolution in 1980.
The book was ghostwritten
by L. Brent Bozell Jr.
, brother-in-law of William F. Buckley. Bozell and Buckley had been members of Yale's debate team. They had co-authored the controversial book, McCarthy and His Enemies, in 1955. Bozell had been Goldwater's speechwriter in the 1950s, and was familiar with many of his ideals. The first edition, 1960, is 123 pages in length and was published in the United States
. The book covers such topics as education, labor unions and policies, civil rights
, agricultural policy
and farm subsidies, social welfare programs, and income tax
ation. The book is considered to be a significant statement of politically and economically American conservative
ideas which were to gain influence during the following decades.
The book continues to inspire contemporary political commentary. John Dean
's 2006 book Conservatives without Conscience
, for example, draws both its title and some of its principles from Goldwater's book. Senator Paul Wellstone
's 2001 autobiography was entitled Conscience of a Liberal. Senator Zell Miller
's 2003 critique of the Democratic Party, A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat also draws the inspiration for its title from Goldwater's work. In 2007, Paul Krugman
entitled his own book The Conscience of a Liberal
, saying in the introduction that he wanted his work to stand as a counterpoint to Goldwater's. Former conservative journalist David Brock
also alluded to Goldwater's book in his memoir Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative
.
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and 1964 Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
in 1960. The book reignited the American conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
movement and made Barry Goldwater a political star. The book has influenced countless conservatives in the United States, helping to lay the foundation for the Reagan Revolution in 1980.
The book was ghostwritten
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
by L. Brent Bozell Jr.
L. Brent Bozell Jr.
Leo Brent Bozell, Jr. was an American conservative activist and Catholic writer.-Family:His father was Leo B. Bozell the co-founder of Bozell Worldwide. His wife was Patricia Lee Buckley, sister of William F. Buckley, and their 10 children include L...
, brother-in-law of William F. Buckley. Bozell and Buckley had been members of Yale's debate team. They had co-authored the controversial book, McCarthy and His Enemies, in 1955. Bozell had been Goldwater's speechwriter in the 1950s, and was familiar with many of his ideals. The first edition, 1960, is 123 pages in length and was published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The book covers such topics as education, labor unions and policies, civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, agricultural policy
Agricultural policy
Agricultural policy describes a set of laws relating to domestic agriculture and imports of foreign agricultural products. Governments usually implement agricultural policies with the goal of achieving a specific outcome in the domestic agricultural product markets...
and farm subsidies, social welfare programs, and income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
ation. The book is considered to be a significant statement of politically and economically American conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
ideas which were to gain influence during the following decades.
The book continues to inspire contemporary political commentary. John Dean
John Dean
John Wesley Dean III is an American lawyer who served as White House Counsel to United States President Richard Nixon from July 1970 until April 1973. In this position, he became deeply involved in events leading up to the Watergate burglaries and the subsequent Watergate scandal cover-up...
's 2006 book Conservatives without Conscience
Conservatives without Conscience
Conservatives Without Conscience is a book written by John Dean, who served as White House Counsel under U.S. President Richard Nixon and then helped to break the Watergate scandal with his testimony before the United States Senate. The book analyzes the evolution of the Republican Party, and the...
, for example, draws both its title and some of its principles from Goldwater's book. Senator Paul Wellstone
Paul Wellstone
Paul David Wellstone was a two-term U.S. Senator from the state of Minnesota and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. Before being elected to the Senate in 1990, he was a professor of political science at Carleton College...
's 2001 autobiography was entitled Conscience of a Liberal. Senator Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
's 2003 critique of the Democratic Party, A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat also draws the inspiration for its title from Goldwater's work. In 2007, Paul Krugman
Paul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
entitled his own book The Conscience of a Liberal
The Conscience of a Liberal
The Conscience of a Liberal is a book written by economist Paul Krugman. It was 24th on the New York Times Best Seller list in November 2007. The title was used originally in Senator Paul Wellstone's book of the same name in 2001...
, saying in the introduction that he wanted his work to stand as a counterpoint to Goldwater's. Former conservative journalist David Brock
David Brock
David Brock is an American journalist and author, the founder of the media watchdog group, Media Matters for America, and a Democratic political operative...
also alluded to Goldwater's book in his memoir Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative
Blinded by the Right
Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative is a 2002 book written by former conservative journalist David Brock detailing his departure from the conservative movement. It is also the story of his coming out as a gay man. In the book, he states that he visited gay bars with Matt...
.