If you were recommending ten Conservative texts to an 18 year old student, so that they could become acquainted with the most important aspects of Conservative philosophy, what would they be? Hayek's Road to Serfdom? Capitalism & Freedom by Milton Friedman? Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith? The Left seem to dominate political theory and philosophy in our universities. They consider themselves part of the intellectual elite. In the 1980s the Right began to hit back, but with the advent of New Labour the Right seems to have been cowed. It's time for the Right to start hitting back and putting some intellectual ballast behind right of centre practical politics. So, I return to my original question. What do you consider to be the philosophical books every Conservative should have read by the time he or she reaches 30?
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
The Ten Most Important Conservatives Texts
If you were recommending ten Conservative texts to an 18 year old student, so that they could become acquainted with the most important aspects of Conservative philosophy, what would they be? Hayek's Road to Serfdom? Capitalism & Freedom by Milton Friedman? Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith? The Left seem to dominate political theory and philosophy in our universities. They consider themselves part of the intellectual elite. In the 1980s the Right began to hit back, but with the advent of New Labour the Right seems to have been cowed. It's time for the Right to start hitting back and putting some intellectual ballast behind right of centre practical politics. So, I return to my original question. What do you consider to be the philosophical books every Conservative should have read by the time he or she reaches 30?
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Acception the ones you suggest, I also suggest:
1. The Law - Frederic Bastiat
2. Conscience of a Conservative - Barry Goldwater
3. Reflections on the Revolution in France - Edmund Burke
4. The Conservative Mind - Russell Kirk
5. Letters to a Young Conservative - Dinesh D'Souza
6. Economics in One Lesson - Henry Hazlitt
7. Second Treatise on Civil Government - John Locke
8. Essays in the History of Liberty - Lord Acton
9. The Constitution of Liberty - Hayek
10. The Bible
Nobody who has ever read their work can possibly describe Smith or Friedman as anything approaching mainstream conservative thinkers. They have admirers among politicians on the right but their work (as opposed to their iconic status) would not be to the taste of the vast majority of those describing themselves as conservatives.
Friedman is essentially an anarchist libertarian (indeed his son is openly so - David's Machinery of Freedom surpasses Milton's work in many ways in its breadth of vision). As for Smith, you could make a case for Theory of Moral Sentiments as a conservative text but not really Wealth of Nations. The latter doesn't describe a world which conservatives of the time would have been attracted to, and has messages which are open to interpretation to see the least in the modern context (that's no criticism - atomistic capitalism wasn't much of a simplification in the 18th century).
Without doubt "The Constitution of Liberty" - FA Hayek. Even the first sentence says it all for the modern conservative party. Also worth a read to "colour" your thinking is Robert Nozik "The Examined Life" although you really have to read his previous book "Anarchy State and Eutopia" to appreciate the progression. I also think anyone who is serious about global issues should read Hernando de Soto's "The Mystery of Capital" ....and Aaaanyone who ever aspires to coming up against civil servants should read Leslie Chapman's "Your Disobedient Servant" horrifying and enlightening. Also worth reading "A Blue Tomorrow" especially the chapter "If we have to have tax, lets just have one" - totally brilliant and original thinking.....
"Gentlemen prefer blondes" Anita Loos.
1)The Meaning of Conservatism by Roger Scruton.
2)The classic Robert Blake biography of Benjamin Disraeli - the man who should inspire all Tories to adopt a popular and patriotic platform combining positive policies for the disadvantaged with a hard headed defence of Britain's interests.
Immanuel Kant - Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals
John Locke - Two Treatises on Government
Hayek - The Road to Serfdom
Camus - The Outsider
Most of the books so far mentioned are either out of print or very difficult to get hold of!
Email sam@conservativehome.com if you would like to review a Conservativey book. It's very important that we at least fight the intellectual/philisophical battle on campus.
On Liberty, JS Mill was one of the best books I have ever read. It is very well argued.
I am in agreement with Hannibal over The Law, Frederic Bastiat.
Hernando de Soto's "The Mystery of Capital" is the best book ever written on the subject of development.
A very good recent addition to the library of Conservatism is "The Welfare State we're in".
The Road to Serfdom is essential as is The Wealth of Nations. But there was never any doubt about those making the final ten anyway.
Already 7 comments - and yet no one has mentioned ATLAS SHRUGGED.
I would say that this is a hugely important text.
I would also recommend the Reagan letters.
1: Reflections on the Revolution in France - Edmund Burke
2: Leviathan - Thomas Hobbes
3: Second Treatise on Civil Government - John Locke
4: Outlines of Pyrrhonism - Sextus Empiricus
5: Politics - Aristotle
6: Road to Serfdom - Hayek
Conservative Protestant Politics - S Bruce (Oxford, 1998)
Christianity & Conservatism - M Alison & D Edwards (eds.), (London, 1990)
I'd definitely say Reflections on the Revolution in France.
You could make a case that many books here are classical liberal book rather than Conservative books. As a New Labourite, I'd recommend John Locke and Adam Smith to anyone who isn't either on the far right or the far left.
I also think that Leviathan (recommended by Dizzy) could be argued both from the left and the right - although admittedly, it is *seen* as a book of the right.
For practical use (as opposed to building an ideological picture) I'd recommend Philip Gould's "The Unfinished Revolution" and Geoffrey Wheatcroft's "The Strange Death Of Tory England"...When the Conservatives have soaked up the lessons of those two books, they'll get back into power.
" Already 7 comments - yet no one has mentioned ATLAS SHRUGGED."
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That's because it's pseudo-philosophical nonsense which starts from a mis-understood premise of Kant.
Common Sense - Thomas Paine.
Yes, old timey but truly brilliant and well written.
A good place to start if you think New Labour is doing something wrong, but not sure what.
here goes
1 Hobbes -Leviathan
2 Burke-Reflections
3 Adam Smith- W of N
4 Nietzsche-Thus Spake Zarathustra
5 Tom Paine-Common Sense
6 JS Mill-On liberty
7 Macchiavelli-Discourses
8 Locke-Treatises
9 Erasmus-Praise of folly
10 Orwell-Animal farm
As a 19 year old university student and a conservative, I'd suggest anything by the excellent Michael Oakeshott. Far better than Scruton, and much easier to understand than Hayek.
Yes, it is worth making the point that the essay at the back of "The Constitution of Liberty" is called "Why I am not a Conservative".
Aristotle, Hayek, Locke and and especially Mill are conventionally called liberal philosophers.
Plato, Burke, Acton, Bastiat, Kant, Hobbes, Marcus Aurelius, George Santayana, Francis Fukuyama and Thomas More would probably be my conservative philosophers list, with Aristotle, Sextus Empericus, Hayek, Locke, Mill, Bentham, Russell, Rousseau, Isaiah Berlin, Voltaire on my Liberal philosophers list.
Anything by Robert Heinlein even though most of it is fiction. Starship Troopers, Double Star, Moon is a harsh Mistress & Friday are particularly political. Expanded Universe & Take Back your Government are largely non-fiction but not in print in the UK.
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults?an=heinlein&y=7&tn=take+back+your+government&sortby=3&x=28
Nobody else keen on The Bible, my 10th choice, then?
Hannibal,Erasmus was and indeed on christian living in general.
cicero's mention of thomas more shows hwo so many of these works are open to interpretation.Utopia ,to me,has strains that are core ocnservative beliefs,equality of the sexes,democracry,religious freedom etc but fundamentally he doesn't believe private property.
I suppose it depends on what you consider to be conservative.I note that DC has not been on yet with his take on the issue,probably have to wait for the centre left's view
I'm shocked, I say, shocked that no one has come up with the 1983 Labour Party Manifesto.
One of the most compelling reasons for voting Conservative there has ever been.
Yes, of course Hannibal, the Bible, but that rather goes without saying.
Rather like Desert Island Discs, it should come for nothing. The other 10 (whatever they are) will all stem from it anyway.
Anyone for my excellent Prayer Book?
Kingbongo, a DOUBLE volume of the American Constitution AND Declaration of Independence (is there any truth in the tale that Lady Thatcher carries a copy of the DoI in her handbag?) is a good call. A bit of de Tocqueville goes a long way too.
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