Debating the American Conservative Movement: 1945 to the Present

by Donald T. Critchlow, Nancy MacLean

Debating the American Conservative Movement chronicles one of the most dramatic stories of modern American political history. The authors describe how a small band of conservatives in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War launched a revolution that shifted American politics to the right, challenged the New Deal order, transformed the Republican party into a voice of conservatism, and set the terms of debate in American politics as the country entered the new millennium. Historians Donald T. Critchlow and Nancy MacLean frame two opposing perspectives of how the history of conservatism in modern America can be understood, but readers are encouraged to reach their own conclusions through reading engaging primary documents.

Genres: History, Politics

244 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2009

Reviews

[Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donald Critchlow's essay on the ascendancy of conservatism is possibly the best summary of the movement at large. Because this book is a debate series, it includes an opposing viewpoint from Nancy MacLean. MacLean’s essay is a throwback to how most liberal academics wrote about conservatism before the boom in conservative scholarship a few years ago. A total of 17 primary documents are included, and a number of good books are included in the bibliography.

[Jerry]

review text for 1172

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! Gave me so much proof of the evils of Conservatism. No I'm just kidding, but this was a completely fascinating look at the rise of modern Conservatism in America. We had a great discussion about it in class too. I have absolutely loved this class and am sad to leave it!