Book Report: Conscience of a Conservative
Goldwater, Barry. Conscience of a Conservative. Victor Publishing: 1960.
Reason, Type and Setting: This book is Barry Goldwater's political manifesto, and a call for the Republican party to return to its conservative roots. I selected this book in particular because I have always had a profound interest in politics, and because Barry Goldwater was one of the foremost practitioners of conservatism, an ideology that influences world events to this day. The novel paints a stark portrait of 1950's America, the problems facing it, and two clashing political philosophies, each professing to be the nation's only hope.
Plot: The book focuses on the political issues confronting the country at the time, and conservatism's solution to each dilemma. These range from economic problems like unjust and inefficient farm subsidies, absurdly powerful unions, and extortionate taxation, to political ones, like the usurpation of state's rights by the federal government, civil rights, and the Soviet menace. All of these crises are addressed in a logical, concise manner, and unlike modern political discourse, the emphasis is not on proving that the opposition is wrong, but instead on finding a constructive solution to each problem through rational thought.
Character: Although there are no conventional protagonists or antagonists in this book. By reading it, one gets a sense about the character of the author. It is clear that the author's purpose in writing this tome was not to toe the party line, pander to a special interest group, or to engage in the rancorous demagoguery that is so common to day. Instead of conforming to his party's beliefs, he shuns them, condemning them as liberal ideology infiltrating a supposedly conservative establishment, instead of saying what will get him elected, he says what he truly believes, no matter how unpopular his positions may be, instead of slandering his political rivals, he respectfully disagrees with them on logical grounds without making any of the personal attacks that are ubiquitous in any modern campaign. It is apparent that Barry Goldwater was a man of unmatched political integrity, and who possessed a great love for his nation.
Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I feel that it has given me a greater understanding of politics, the Constitution, and the history of our country. Reading it has renewed the zeal which I had once felt for politics, a feeling that had been extinguished by watching one unauthentic politician after another claim the title of conservative while pursuing goals that were irreconcilable with their supposed political philosophy. The message of this book is one of freedom, personal responsibility, and the ideals that so many of our countrymen have laid down their lives to defend. Although I have nothing but praise for this masterpiece of political literature, I would only recommend it to someone who has a firm grasp on the basics of political history and philosophy, and who doesn't mind reading several chapters on agricultural regulations and their impact on the free market. To someone unfamiliar with the roots of conservatism, this book may be confusing, as it contradicts many of the policies of the modern Republican party, which is frequently mistaken to be run by conservatives.
Author, Context and Trivia: Barry Goldwater has written several other books, such as: The Conscience of a Majority, The Coming Breakpoint, and With No Apologies: The Personal and Political Memoirs of United States Senator Barry M. Goldwater. Although I have read none of the author's other books, I found Conscience of a Conservative fascinating, and eagerly await reading the rest of his works.
Plot: The book focuses on the political issues confronting the country at the time, and conservatism's solution to each dilemma. These range from economic problems like unjust and inefficient farm subsidies, absurdly powerful unions, and extortionate taxation, to political ones, like the usurpation of state's rights by the federal government, civil rights, and the Soviet menace. All of these crises are addressed in a logical, concise manner, and unlike modern political discourse, the emphasis is not on proving that the opposition is wrong, but instead on finding a constructive solution to each problem through rational thought.
Character: Although there are no conventional protagonists or antagonists in this book. By reading it, one gets a sense about the character of the author. It is clear that the author's purpose in writing this tome was not to toe the party line, pander to a special interest group, or to engage in the rancorous demagoguery that is so common to day. Instead of conforming to his party's beliefs, he shuns them, condemning them as liberal ideology infiltrating a supposedly conservative establishment, instead of saying what will get him elected, he says what he truly believes, no matter how unpopular his positions may be, instead of slandering his political rivals, he respectfully disagrees with them on logical grounds without making any of the personal attacks that are ubiquitous in any modern campaign. It is apparent that Barry Goldwater was a man of unmatched political integrity, and who possessed a great love for his nation.
Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I feel that it has given me a greater understanding of politics, the Constitution, and the history of our country. Reading it has renewed the zeal which I had once felt for politics, a feeling that had been extinguished by watching one unauthentic politician after another claim the title of conservative while pursuing goals that were irreconcilable with their supposed political philosophy. The message of this book is one of freedom, personal responsibility, and the ideals that so many of our countrymen have laid down their lives to defend. Although I have nothing but praise for this masterpiece of political literature, I would only recommend it to someone who has a firm grasp on the basics of political history and philosophy, and who doesn't mind reading several chapters on agricultural regulations and their impact on the free market. To someone unfamiliar with the roots of conservatism, this book may be confusing, as it contradicts many of the policies of the modern Republican party, which is frequently mistaken to be run by conservatives.
Author, Context and Trivia: Barry Goldwater has written several other books, such as: The Conscience of a Majority, The Coming Breakpoint, and With No Apologies: The Personal and Political Memoirs of United States Senator Barry M. Goldwater. Although I have read none of the author's other books, I found Conscience of a Conservative fascinating, and eagerly await reading the rest of his works.
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