What’s Wrong with Conservatism: A Conversation with Dr. Charles Kesler

What’s Wrong with Conservatism: A Conversation with Dr. Charles Kesler

Author: The Claremont Institute March 19, 2019 Duration: 46:19

Why, even after electoral triumphs, have conservatives had such a hard time governing? You think this question only applies to today? Twenty years ago, as part of the American Enterprise Institute’s Bradley lecture series, Dr. Charles Kesler gave an answer to why conservatives felt adrift. That lecture is just as relevant now as it was in 1998, and it forms the basis of this episode of The American Mind Podcast. 

In this interview, you’ll hear why Dr. Kesler says American conservatism can only feel grounded when it argues policy based on the principles of equality and justice. But, to get there, we have to work our way through different pieces of conservatism’s intellectual heritage. Only then can we see “what’s wrong with conservatism.” 

Dr. Kesler is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and the editor of the Claremont Review of Books. In 2017 he was named to The Politico 50 for his pioneering work in political philosophy, and in 2018, he won the Bradley Prize for his work on, among other topics, American liberalism and conservatism.

*** 

Recommended Reading: "What's Wrong with Conservatism"

Visit The American Mind for more great content.

And if you have feedback for us, we'd love to hear from you at americanmind@claremont.org



This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com/subscribe

Behind the daily headlines and political noise, there's a deeper current of ideas shaping the nation. The American Mind Podcast, from The Claremont Institute, digs into that foundational layer. It moves beyond surface-level debate to examine the philosophical assumptions and historical principles that actually drive American life. In each episode, hosts sit down with Claremont scholars and a range of thoughtful critics to untangle the real causes of our cultural moment. These conversations aren't about quick takes or partisan scoring; they're sustained explorations of how concepts from history, philosophy, and political theory manifest in our society, news cycles, and personal lives. Tuning in, you'll hear rigorous but accessible discussions that connect timeless thought to contemporary upheaval. This podcast provides a space for listeners to step back from the frenzy and consider the underlying forces-the enduring ideals and the new challenges-that are continually remaking the American experiment. It’s for anyone who suspects there’s more to the story and wants to engage with the substantive ideas, not just the symptoms, of our political and cultural reality.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 429

The American Mind Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Banana Republic | The Roundtable Episode 6 Segment 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:50
President Trump brings loyal players back into the fold at the White House. The administrative state tries to unite with anyone who will fight against Trump. David weighs in on it all from the swamp. This is a public epi…
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood | The Roundtable Episode 6 Segment 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:51
“You can’t drive out corruption without material discipline”: editors discuss the rapidly intensifying decadence of Hollywood, touching on the Weinstein verdict, Peachy Keenan’s spicy take on the Spielbergs, and Ross Dou…
Big Porn and Mini Mike | The Roundtable Episode 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:28
Our Editors talk about the future of eugenics, the battle of Bloomberg v. Bernie, and an exciting new economic initiative on the Right. Plus: are libertarians coming for your sexual dignity? Our editors talk porn. This i…
Eugenics, Me-genics, and Us-genics | The Roundtable Ep. 5 Segment 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:00
After some interesting tweets by Richard Dawkins, our editors wrestle with hard questions involving cultured human meat and Klingon gene replacement. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other sub…
Kissing the Woke Ring | The Roundtable Ep. 5 Segment 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:01
Who will bow further to wokeness—Bernie or Bloomberg? Our editors take on the coming dissolution of the Democratic Party as we know it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or ge…
Lessons in the Dismal Science | The Roundtable Ep. 5 Segment 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:40
Oren Cass founds American Compass, a pro-prosperity think tank and the latest in the Right’s ongoing debate over free market economics. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or ge…
Two Men Walk Into a Blockbuster... | The Roundtable Ep. 5 Segment 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:13
Andrew Yang joins CNN, but who will influence whom? Mini Mike sneaks back into our final segment, and our editors break down the latest American Mind pieces on porn. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss thi…
Spies, Gays, and Coronavirus | The Roundtable Ep. 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:50
Our editors discuss a bold proposal by Angelo Codevilla to abolish the CIA, coronavirus and its threat to globalism, Pete Buttigieg’s success in the New Hampshire primaries, and the dullness of #NeverTrump conservatism.…
“Intelligence” vs. the Republic | The Roundtable Ep. 4 Segment 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
The CIA has effectively become an organ of the deep state. Should we abolish it? Angelo Codevilla thinks so. Our editors discuss. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acce…