Listing Conservative Brainiacs
By way of Twitter, this just in from Uncommon Knowledge viewer Travis Lindsay:
Peter, if you had to make a list of the top conservative intellectuals today who would make your list?
A lovely question. We’ve come a long way since Lionel Trilling’s 1950 declaration that “[i]n the United States at this time liberalism is not only the dominate but even the sole intellectual tradition.” Our side has brilliant scholars, think tanks, intellectual ferment. Of any number who belong on this long list, three who come immediately to mind:
1. Historian Paul Rahe. From the very beginning of the Obama administration, while lots of other conservatives were sunk in gloom, Paul remained persistently cheerful, arguing, as he put it, that “the Obama administration is a gift to the friends of liberty.” In predicting the emergence of a popular revolt—Paul foresaw the Tea Party before it existed—Paul didn’t merely have his finger to the political winds. He had his mind attuned to the deepest currents of American history. Drawing on his immense erudition—in particular his detailed knowledge of the political culture of the first half of the nineteenth century—Paul decided things were about to get better, not worse.
People like me wanted to believe him but couldn’t quite bring themselves to do so. But just look. Paul was right. An astonishing intellectual achievement.
2. Economist John Taylor, who, I’m proud to say, appears from time to time right here on Ricochet. During the first months of the financial crisis, the narrative that took shape in the academy and was then amplified in the mainstream press was simple: Markets had failed. Capitalism had been discredited. Big government needed to save us. Milton Friedman? To the ash heap. Long live John Maynard Keyes! John Taylor bravely stepped forward to say “Not so fast.”
Drawing on a detailed analysis of Fed policy and the housing markets, John demonstrated that big government had had a lot to do with causing the crisis in the first place. The Fed had expanded the money supply too fast, creating the housing bubble. Then Congress had pressured Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to increase low-income mortgages, and, eagerly complying, Freddie and Fannie had in effect created the subprime market. John transformed the way serious people look at the crisis—and at what still needs to be done to clean the mess up. Again, a remarkable intellectual achievement.
3. Classicist Victor Davis Hanson, who is, again, a Ricochet contributor. Victor’s achievements as a historian of the ancient world are simply massive. Warfare and Agriculture in Classical Greece. The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece. A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War. Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power. In his analysis of—and, broadly speaking, support for—the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Victor has deployed his undoubted scholarship. All by himself, he has made it impossible to deride as yahoos or ignoranti those who believe that from time to time the United States must—skillfully and wisely, but unapologetically—make use of its military might.
Now, into the mosh pit.
Good people of Ricochet, you’ve seen my list. Who’s on yours?
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Jun '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
4. Thomas Sowell.
Aug '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Must the list limit itself to living intellectuals?
Sep '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
James Bowman
Jun '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Ditto on Sowell (who just turned 80 and keeps churning out great books--he should be declared a national treasure). I agree with Peter's list, but would suggest a British trio: Melanie Phillips (British journalist who continually takes on the appeasers in Britain and elsewhere), Roger Scruton (Conservative philosopher who also writes on culture and art), and Theodore Dalrymple (real name: Anthony Daniels, a British physician who deconstructs the British welfare state with a scalpel and who also writes great literary criticism).
Jul '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
I fear the intellectual leadership of the conservative movement is waning.
Just take a look at those links to the right.
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Thomas Sowell, definitely.
Jul '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
4. (as per above) Thomas Sowell
5. Harvey Mansfield
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
My book club informed me this morning that Hanson's Carnage and Culture is on its way. If Ricochet is really a devious ploy to sell contributors' books, it's working! I've already bought six.
I agree on Sowell. He understands that government shadows culture. Few are more careful and thoughtful in their reasoning. And he rejects political correctness without being vengeful.
Mark Steyn, of course. Before Ricochet, SteynOnline was always my first stop after scanning the morning headlines.
For economics, the people I trust most are Art Laffer, Stephen Moore and the stubbornly optimistic Larry Kudlow.
Rush Limbaugh understands which way the political winds are blowing better than anyone.
For the D.C. insider perspective, Fred Thompson.
Aug '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Michael Zuckert
Vincent Philip Munoz
James V Schall
James W Ceasar
James Q Wilson
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Roger Scruton.
David Pryce-Jones.
Jun '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
...and Charles Murray, Dinesh D'Souza.
Aug '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Personally, I would add Dennis Prager to that list as well. He may not be an academic, as some of the suggestions are, but he uses his radio show to argue for conservative values from a philosophical point of view.
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
I'd have to agree with so many others on Thomas Sowell, the one and only Mark Steyn, I'd also throw Jonah Goldberg in the mix.
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
That's the great beauty of the American Conservative movement, isn't it, that we don't rely on an accredited form of thought?
Reagan had an economics degree from Eureka College, not exactly Ivy League. Rush barely got out of high school.
Sep '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Ragnarok: 4. (as per above) Thomas Sowell
5. Harvey Mansfield · Sep 27 at 12:23pm
And Mansfield must have some students who are reaching maturity?
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
PJ O'Rourke, for making the moral case for the free market in an entertaining and accessible manner for us non-intellectuals. To change a lib's mind w/o scaring him off, Eat the Rich is still #1.
Jun '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Seventeen comments into the thread and no one has mentioned George F. Will and Charles Krauthammer. Shame on all of you!
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
I think Tabula Rasa's list is pretty good, as are many others in specific areas of expertise (Mankiw, Russ Roberts, Mark Pauly, Voegeli, Olasky).
I'd alsod like to see the list of nominees who are always paraded out as being "conservatives" and are simply Democrats who once worked for a Republican- e.g., Kevin Phillips, Lawrence Korb, and Norman Ornstein. Gergen lost his veil when he joined Clinton.
Jun '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
more votes for (note the single names - the madonna of the right...)
Sowell
Steyn
Goldberg
George Will
VDH - Victor Davis Hanson
Norman Podhoretz
May '10
Re: Listing Conservative Brainiacs
Dr. Rahe needs to come onto the podcast soon.
I'd probably mirror above people who have said Mark Steyn and Thomas Sowell. Peter you seem to do a great job picking guests on your show as it seems. Can I ask how you choose your guests? Why did you interview Dr. Rahe about a year ago on UK?