Conservatism

July 01, 2019

Is social media the source of our social problems?

The British economist John Kay made a powerful argument in his 2011 book Obliquity: Why our goals are best achieved indirectly that the best way to achieve any complex of broadly defined goal is indirectly through a gradual process of risk taking and discovery. Continue Reading...

July 01, 2019

Letter from Rome: American vs. European Nationalism

Last month’s Sohrab Ahmari-David French debate was the more recent skirmish about the meaning of American conservatism. Acton’s Joe Carter has helpfully compiled a reading list without appearing to favor one side over the other. Continue Reading...

June 28, 2019

What Willmoore Kendall can teach us about America

Willmoore Kendall defied the norms of many mainstream intellectual movements. Those who knew him recall a “typical strangeness” that characterized the man and his works. He was a solitary figure who has been largely forgotten in today’s conservative conversations. Continue Reading...

June 26, 2019

What does politics have to do with virtue?

One of the highlights of my summers working at the Acton Institute is leading discussions with our interns over major ideas, thinkers, and issues. This afternoon we had a spirited and thought provoking discussion about conservative critiques of liberalism. Continue Reading...

June 14, 2019

Philip K. Dick, Lord Acton, and the nineteenth century that never ended

The American science fiction author Philip K. Dick was a strange guy. In addition to being a prolific author of many science fiction classics like The Man in the High Castle, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Continue Reading...

June 13, 2019

Why Simonetti is wrong to slander David French

We live in a strange age when good Christian men are slandered in defense of men of low character. Still, I would have never suspected to see such calumny on the Acton PowerBlog. Continue Reading...

June 10, 2019

Moral and religious people created by God not the state

Last week Joe Carter helpfully gathered many of the contributions to what John Zmirak has called ‘The Iran-Iraq War Among Conservatives’. This at times heated exchange is largely between liberal and illiberal American conservatives and it is an important and lively one. Continue Reading...

April 29, 2019

No, George Will. Joe Biden’s program is not ‘normalcy’

Reading George Will’s latest article in National Review online Praising the normalcy of the former Vice President Joe Biden, I couldn’t help whispering to myself: What is properly normal about Uncle Joe? Continue Reading...

April 17, 2019

New video of Rev. Robert Sirico: ‘Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy’

Earlier this month Fr. Robert Sirico delivered an address to the Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley titled, ‘Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy’. The talk begins with an account of a formative childhood experience which first kindled in him a passion for justice. Continue Reading...

April 16, 2019

How Rod Dreher’s ‘Benedict Option’ misunderstands Christian liberalism

Rod Dreher is once again exasperated. He is frustrated by a rumor that George Weigel hasn’t bought the tireless promotion of his ‘Benedict Option’: A few months ago, Weigel appeared at an event in Providence, RI, to discuss the Benedict Option. Continue Reading...

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