The Conservative Revolution: The Movement That Remade America

In "The Conservative Revolution: The Movement That Remade America," author Lee Edwards does an excellent job of guiding readers through the growth of the Conservative movement in America. In his book, he not only illustrates the struggles that conservatives have faced as an opposition movement, he has also shown the struggles that continue to exist even after conservatives have succeeded in gaining power. By tying the conservative movement to the careers of four individual politicians, Edwards succeeds in giving a human face to the movement. In the early days of the conservative movement, as personified by Senator Robert Taft, Edwards shows how the movement grew in response to America's increased international prestige following WWII. With the emergence of Republican Presidential Candidate Barry Goldwater, Edwards shows how the conservative movement began to gain ground among the American public. The emergence of the conservative movement increases dramatically with the election of President Ronald Reagan and is then capped off with the 1994 election of Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House. Luckily, Edwards does not end there. He is evenhanded in showing the errors made by conservatives as they take control of the branches of government and suggests that this is a struggle that has not yet seen its final chapter.

We conservatives like to sermonize about the historical ignorance of the average American, but too many of us are just as ignorant of the history of our own conservative movement. If you're in that category, take an afternoon or two to read Lee Edwards' "The Conservative Revolution."Edwards surveys the high points of the conservative movement, starting with "Mr. Republican" Sen. Robert Taft, through the Gingrich Revolution of 1994. He craftily threads the behind-the-scenes details of the movement with the historical events of the world at large, being sure to explain those events and their meaning and connection to the American political scene. This is not "objective" history, of course; Edwards is one of us, and he isn't afraid to make his opinion known. But he is careful to provide a balanced, detached look at the facts, keeping his opinion separate. If you enjoy this book and want to learn more about the two greatest political victories for conservatives this century, be sure to read F. Clifton White's "Why Reagan Won" and "Suite 3505: The Draft Goldwater Movement".

As a young conservative I have sought to learn as much history of the movement as possible. I have read stacks and stacks of books on conservative thought and those by the great conservatives. None cover so comprehensively the breadth and depth of the pivotal role of each of the four men about whom Edwards writes. Senators Taft and Goldwater, President Reagan and former Speaker Gingrich are the giants on whose shoulders all other conservative leaders today stand. Edwards intimate knowledge of the four is apparent and his writing ability is tremendous.If you're looking for a thorough, well written introduction into the whole world of the conservative movement, this is where to start. I'd be buying this book right now, if I didn't already own it.

The Conservative Revolution is an engaging read that will peak your interest with every page. It will surprise you in that so much of what happened almost forty years ago when the modern conservative movement was born, is occurring in the movement today. In the sixties, it was the conservatives that finally took the Republican Party away from the "me-too" liberal Republicans, and at the same time wrote the John Birch Society and Ayn Rand out of the movement. Today, the moderates are trying to write those of us that are principled conservatives out of the Republican Party. This well researched work will inform even those who lived through the birth of the movement. I highly recommend The Conservative Revolution to every reader that is interested in politics and conservatism.

Lee Edwards' book is a brilliant, informative, and educational chronicle of the rise of American conservatism over the past 50 years. He deftly examines the liberal excesses that led to the increasing acceptance of right-of-center ideas. The book is most effective in its analysis of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, although a bit more could be written about Newt Gingrich and post-Reagan conservative figures. But overall, it is required reading for those who seek to understand America's rightward shift.