"The Conservatives" (2009) by Patrick Allitt (Yale University Press)

Submitted by Robert (United States), Sep 26, 2018 at 15:25

Dear Daniel Pipes,

Two days ago my copy of the work,"The Conservative: Ideas and Personalities Throughout American History," by Patrick Allitt, arrived from Amazon.com. Just having read the Preface and Introduction,I can judge that it's a wonderful historical, non-judgmental, study. There is even a definition of what the term means in the introduction.The author points out that it's an "attitude" - but elaborates much more ...too long to quote; but the Introduction is available online at Amazon.com (see link below).

Among other things, the author points out that it was the name of a party in Great Britain way before it was used here, in the USA. He also points out, that Americans, initially, didn't call themselves by this term. He begins his study of the notion with the Federalists, pointing out that Thomas Jefferson was for Democracy, which meant at the time strong states rights. On the other hand, Alexander Hamilton, was for string government, and an elitist, not trusting in democracy, as was the case with the 54 or 55 secret committee drafters of our Constitution. But it is to be noted (by me) that Jefferson, the democratic "Liberal" was for Slavery,obviously, whereas Hamilton supported out first national bank, necessary for the urban population in New York and the rest of New England.

So here (linked below) is the best book I have found so far on Conservatives in American history. Although I'm only now beginning to read the rest of the book, I can tell that it will support my view that the term only identifies generally the opponents of certain "progressive" ("PROGRESS") tendencies or inclinations in American historical time."Progress," incidentally, was an American notion in 1933-34 Chicago's World Fair. It was also so in the 1964-1964 World's Fair in Queens for the Walt Disney company. In brief, Conservatives generally oppose American Progress (that's my view). That question, of course, remains whether the particular proposed "progress" is good, or not. I don't pretend to give the answer to this empirical question because I don't possess a Crystal Ball.

"The Conservatives: Ideas and Personalities Throughout American History"
(2009 by Patrick Allitt (Yale University Press)

https://www.amazon.com/Conservatives-Personalities-Throughout-American-History-ebook/dp/B0024NLHPS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537986637&sr=1-2

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