The Conscience of a Conservative

by Barry Goldwater

Overview

Published in 1960 under the name of Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, “The Conscience of a Conservative” is a widely influential and important book on the American conservative political movement. While the book was published under Goldwater’s name, it was ghostwritten by L. Brent Bozell Jr., the brother-in-law of William F. Buckley and Goldwater’s speech writer in the 1950s. The book was instantly popular and catapulted Goldwater, a Senator from Arizona when the book was published, into the national spotlight and helped him became the Republican nominee for President in 1964. Bozell’s concise and thorough work details the conservative social and political positions on topics including education, labor unions, taxation, farming and agriculture policies, and civil rights. The book reignited the conservative movement and led to the rise of Reagan-style Republicanism in the 1980s. “The Conscience of a Conservative” defines what it means to be a modern political conservative in a way that is very accessible and understandable and continues to influence American political writers to this day. It remains an essential read for any student of political science and post-war American political history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420963342
Publisher:	Digireads.com Publishing
Publication date:	09/01/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–87) and the Republican Party's nominee for president in the 1964 election. He is the American politician most often credited for sparking the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s. Goldwater died May 29, 1998.

Table of Contents

General Editor's Introduction     vii
Foreword   George F. Will     ix
Preface     xxi
The Conscience of a Conservative     1
The Perils of Power     7
States' Rights     17
And Civil Rights     25
Freedom for the Farmer     33
Freedom for Labor     39
Taxes and Spending     53
The Welfare State     63
Some Notes on Education     71
The Soviet Menace     81
Afterword   Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.     121
Index     139

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"For a man who proudly described himself as 'simple,' Barry Goldwater remains a historical puzzle." —-Angus Burgin, The New York Sun

Editorial Reviews

For a man who proudly described himself as 'simple,' Barry Goldwater remains a historical puzzle.

The New York Sun Angus Burgin

"For a man who proudly described himself as 'simple,' Barry Goldwater remains a historical puzzle." ---Angus Burgin, The New York Sun

From the Publisher

Goldwater laid out his conservative views in this work, published four years before his unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1964. In it he expounds upon issues such as states’ rights, civil rights, taxes, and national budget deficits, many of which can be found in today’s headlines and blogs. Johnny Heller’s workmanlike narration, lacking vocal variation, does not enliven what is essentially a philosophical treatise in support of freedom as our nation’s most important value. Though Heller’s timing, pacing, and precise diction are well done, it’s still difficult for the listener to stay focused. Social conservatives and those who wish to better understand them will benefit by this book, but listening to it proves to be a challenge. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

JUNE 2011 - AudioFile