When thinking about the American right, we are talking about two streams. The first is the Fusionists, a movement that has been around since at least the 1960s and came to prominence with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. This is the conservatism of small government, low taxes and regulation, and a strong stance towards the Soviet Union. It has been the dominant form of conservatism in the United States…until recently.
The rise of Donald Trump brought about a new movement that has in many ways displaced Reaganite conservatism. National conservatism seems less concerned about the size of the government and even favors an energetic government that goes after its enemies. It is as the name suggests, more nationalistic and seems less interested in being involved in foreign affairs or free trade.
Hiden is a third stream of conservatism, found in other democracies like Canada or Germany: Humanist Conservatism. This version of the right is as our guest today describes it a tradition that is “driven by a desire to preserve the dignity of everyday human existence—those mundane practices of life that sit outside the grandiosity of constitutional systems and national traditions.”
My guest Jeffrey Tyler Sick will talk about this forgotten branch of conservatism and how it might be able to take on the times we find ourselves in. Jeffrey is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and History at the University of Pikeville in his native Kentucky. He is also the Founding Editor and President of Vital Center Magazine. We will talk about the three streams of conservatism and where religion plays a role.
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Show Notes:
Jeffrey Tyler Syck's home page
Conservatism’s Path Not Taken
Conservatism’s Humanist Road Not Taken
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Episode 171: Breathing Fresh Life into Humanist Conservatism with Jeffrey Tyler Syck