Varieties of American Conservatism
Discover the intellectual roots of modern conservatism.
The conservative movement is divided over the question of Donald Trump. At issue is the philosophy of nation-state populism that drove his insurgent campaign and led to his presidency. This philosophy, which differs in emphasis and approach from that of other post-Cold War presidents, is both enduring and undefined. Reaching as far back as Andrew Jackson, and carrying through, in different ways, Ronald Reagan, Ross Perot, Patrick Buchanan, and Sarah Palin, the nation-state populist tradition diverges from conservatism on trade, immigration, entitlements, and infrastructure, and from liberalism on sovereignty, nationalism, identity politics, and political correctness.
In this weekend seminar, students will explore the phenomenon of populism, its causes, and its potential consequences for American politics. It will be led by Matthew Continetti, an astute observer of American politics and editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon.
Matthew Continetti on Populism & Nationalism
The weekend seminar will take place in Washington, DC. It is a full-time commitment for Friday–Sunday, with required sessions in the morning, afternoon, and some evenings.
Faculty
Matthew Continetti
Matthew Continetti is resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Prior to joining AEI, he was Editor in Chief of the Washington Free Beacon. His articles and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Matthew Continetti
Matthew Continetti is resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on American political thought and history, with a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party and the American conservative movement in the 20th century. He is the founding editor The Washington Free Beacon and was Editor in Chief until 2019. Prior to joining the Beacon, he was Opinion Editor of The Weekly Standard, where he remained a Contributing Editor until 2018.
The author of The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine (Doubleday, 2006), Continetti’s articles and reviews have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post.
A 2003 graduate of Columbia University, where he majored in history, Continetti lives in McLean, Virginia.
Download the Full Syllabus
Preview the Syllabus by Week/Session
Friday
Opening Dinner & Introduction
Saturday
Session I: What Is Populism?
Readings:
- Francis Fukuyama, “Populism: A Three-Part Essay,” The American Interest, November/December 2017
- Walter Russell Mead, “The Jacksonian Tradition,” The National Interest, Winter 1995
Discussion Questions:
- Compare Fukuyama and Mead’s essays: What is populism? What is its key characteristics? From what does it arise?
- What is the relationship of populism to nationalism?
- Is it important to distinguish between left- and right-wing populism?
- Is American populism distinctive from populism abroad (Latin America, Europe)?
- Is populism best understood as a threat or corrective to democracy?
Group Lunch & Guest Speaker | Yuval Levin, EPPC
Yuval Levin
Yuval Levin is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and editor of National Affairs. He is also a senior editor of The New Atlantis, and a contributing editor of National Review and previously The Weekly Standard. Prior to joining AEI, he served as Vice President and Hertog Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He has been a member of the White House domestic policy staff (under President George W. Bush), Executive Director of the President’s Council on Bioethics, and a congressional staffer. He is the author of The Fractured Republic (2016) and most recently, A Time To Build (2020).
Session II: Populism & The Right
Readings:
- Pat Buchanan, Presidential Campaign Announcement, March 20, 1995
- Sarah Palin, Republican National Convention Speech, September 3, 2008
- Donald Trump, Inaugural Address, January 20, 2017
- Donald Trump, Remarks to the People of Poland, July 6, 2017
- George W. Bush, Remarks at “The Spirit of Liberty: At Home, In The World” Conference, October 19, 2017
- George Nash, “Populism, I: American Conservatism and the Problem of Populism,” The New Criterion, September 2016
- Christopher Caldwell, “What’s the Deal with Trump?”, The Weekly Standard, September 7, 2015
Discussion Questions:
- How does populism express itself on the right? Compare the speeches of Buchanan, Palin, and Trump. What similarities and differences do you see in their rhetoric?
- Looking at the George W. Bush speech, where does the “populist” wing diverge from the “establishment wing” of the Republican Party?
- Does populism reflect a development of, or a departure from, the conservative tradition in America? What argument does Nash make? Caldwell?
Group Dinner & Guest Speaker | Christopher Caldwell, The Weekly Standard
Christopher Caldwell
Christopher Caldwell is a senior editor at The Weekly Standard. He is the author of Reflections on the Revolution In Europe: Immigration, Islam and the West.
Sunday
Session III: Populism & The Left
Readings:
- Bernie Sanders, Presidential Campaign Announcement, May 26, 2015
- Bernie Sanders, A Future to Believe In Rally in Eugene, Oregon, April 28, 2016
- Barack Obama, U.S. Air Force Academy Commencement Address, June 2016
- Margaret Talbot, “The Populist Prophet,” The New Yorker, October 12, 2015
- Matt Stoller, “How Democrats Killed Their Populist Soul,” The Atlantic, October 24, 2016
Discussion Questions:
- How does populism express itself on the left? Compare Sanders’ speech to those of Buchanan, Palin, and Trump. What similarities and differences do you find?
- Looking at the Obama speech, where does the “populist wing” diverge from the “establishment wing” of the Democratic Party?
- Does populism reflect a development of, or a departure from, modern liberalism? What argument does Talbot make? Stoller?
