The Human Action Podcast

Home | Mises Library | The Trouble with Conservatives

The Trouble with Conservatives

Mises Weekends with Jeff Deist

Tags Big GovernmentStrategyPolitical Theory

06/10/2016Jeff Deist

Conservatives once stood for judicious use of government power and minding our own business in foreign affairs. Today, 100 years after the beginning of the progressive revolution, conservatives don't conserve anything. They vote for big-government schemes, favor globalism over real capitalism, and advocate an aggressive foreign policy that installs American troops around the globe. They've lost any claim to the mantle of "limited government," and lost every battle concerning abortion and social issues. Worst of all, Republicans have created a bloated jobs programs for themselves—Conservatism, Inc.—that shows nothing but contempt for its own voting base.

Is the GOP the next Whig party, consigned to history?

For further reading, see Murray Rothbard's The Betrayal of the American Right, Justin Raimondo's Reclaiming the American Right, and "The Coming Conservative Dark Age" by Matthew Continetti.

See also the Mises Institute's online archives of The American Mercury (1936–1943).

Note: The views expressed on Mises.org are not necessarily those of the Mises Institute.
Author:

Contact Jeff Deist

Jeff Deist is former president of the Mises Institute. He is a writer, public speaker, and advocate for property, markets, and civil society. Jeff was chief of staff to Congressman Ron Paul. Contact: email; Twitter.