The Conservative Affirmation

 A bold and articulate defense of traditional American values,  The Conservative Affirmation  is Willmoore Kendall's enduring statement on the philosophical foundations of American conservatism. First published in 1963, the book argues that the U.S. Constitution reflects not a liberal mandate for endless individualism, but a carefully calibrated order rooted in majoritarian rule, moral consensus, and shared tradition. Kendall, a brilliant political theorist and one-time mentor to William F. Buckley Jr., challenges the liberal interpretations of the Founding and proposes a model of democracy constrained by virtue, religion, and responsible deliberation. With fierce intelligence and polemical clarity, he critiques the unchecked expansion of civil liberties, judicial activism, and secular technocracy—urging instead a return to the principles that he believes animated the American political community at its best.  The Conservative Affirmation  remains a key work for students of American political thought, conservatism, constitutionalism, and the enduring debate over the soul of the republic. 

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The Conservative Affirmation

 A bold and articulate defense of traditional American values,  The Conservative Affirmation  is Willmoore Kendall's enduring statement on the philosophical foundations of American conservatism. First published in 1963, the book argues that the U.S. Constitution reflects not a liberal mandate for endless individualism, but a carefully calibrated order rooted in majoritarian rule, moral consensus, and shared tradition. Kendall, a brilliant political theorist and one-time mentor to William F. Buckley Jr., challenges the liberal interpretations of the Founding and proposes a model of democracy constrained by virtue, religion, and responsible deliberation. With fierce intelligence and polemical clarity, he critiques the unchecked expansion of civil liberties, judicial activism, and secular technocracy—urging instead a return to the principles that he believes animated the American political community at its best.  The Conservative Affirmation  remains a key work for students of American political thought, conservatism, constitutionalism, and the enduring debate over the soul of the republic. 

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The Conservative Affirmation

The Conservative Affirmation

by Willmoore Kendall
The Conservative Affirmation

The Conservative Affirmation

by Willmoore Kendall

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Overview

 A bold and articulate defense of traditional American values,  The Conservative Affirmation  is Willmoore Kendall's enduring statement on the philosophical foundations of American conservatism. First published in 1963, the book argues that the U.S. Constitution reflects not a liberal mandate for endless individualism, but a carefully calibrated order rooted in majoritarian rule, moral consensus, and shared tradition. Kendall, a brilliant political theorist and one-time mentor to William F. Buckley Jr., challenges the liberal interpretations of the Founding and proposes a model of democracy constrained by virtue, religion, and responsible deliberation. With fierce intelligence and polemical clarity, he critiques the unchecked expansion of civil liberties, judicial activism, and secular technocracy—urging instead a return to the principles that he believes animated the American political community at its best.  The Conservative Affirmation  remains a key work for students of American political thought, conservatism, constitutionalism, and the enduring debate over the soul of the republic. 


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781779792334
Publisher: Bonhopai Books
Publication date: 08/05/2025
Sold by: Bookwire
Format: eBook
Pages: 247
File size: 807 KB

About the Author

Willmoore Kendall (1909–1967) was an American political philosopher, Yale professor, and one of the founding intellectuals of postwar American conservatism. Known for his sharp mind and uncompromising views, Kendall shaped conservative thought through both academic writing and his role as mentor to figures like William F. Buckley Jr. In The Conservative Affirmation, he synthesized his views on the Constitution, democracy, and moral authority, offering a compelling counterpoint to liberal orthodoxies. Kendall's legacy endures in the debates he sparked and the clarity with which he articulated a conservative vision grounded in tradition, order, and the collective good.

 Willmoore Kendall (1909–1967) was an American political philosopher, Yale professor, and one of the founding intellectuals of postwar American conservatism. Known for his sharp mind and uncompromising views, Kendall shaped conservative thought through both academic writing and his role as mentor to figures like William F. Buckley Jr.. In  The Conservative Affirmation , he synthesized his views on the Constitution, democracy, and moral authority, offering a compelling counterpoint to liberal orthodoxies. Kendall's legacy endures in the debates he sparked and the clarity with which he articulated a conservative vision grounded in tradition, order, and the collective good. 

Table of Contents

Foreword: The Philosopher of Right-Wing Populism ix

Publisher's Preface xxxvii

Preface xxxix

Introduction li

Chapter 1 What Is Conservatism? 1

Chapter 2 The Two Majorities in American Politics 27

Chapter 3 McCarthyism: The Pons Asinorum of Contemporary Conservatism 67

Chapter 4 Freedom of Speech in America 103

Chapter 5 The Social Contract: The Ultimate Issue between Liberalism and Conservatism 111

Chapter 6 Conservatism and the "Open Society" 135

Chapter 7 A Conservative Statement on Christian Pacifism 163

Chapter 8 Conservative Appraisals of Recent Works on Politics 187

Acknowledgments 351

Index 353

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