Historic Conservatives

[TeenageRepublican]

I've been studying founders of modern conservative/libertarian thought, mostly the ones from the 19th century.
Through my research, I have concluded that these three men are among the greatest of the founders. Keep in mind, I may not know all of the ones that can be seen as founders of modern conservative/libertarian thought.

William Wilberforce
Everytime I hear "Amazing Grace", tears stroke down my face. William Wilberforce and John Newton (the writer of "Amazing Grace") worked together to get rid of slavery in London. William was first confused whether or not he should follow God or if he should follow politics. He ended up following both.

John Stuart Mill
I personally like this man because he founded right-libertarianism. I hear some conservatives throw the insult "Slaves are a part of property!"
If those conservatives had studied libertarianism, they would discover that Mill, one of the founders, was strictly opposed to slavery.
He had some liberal beliefs economically (taxing liquor), but he was for the free market. If he was alive today, we would consider him a classic liberal. I've also come to believe that he would be opposed to abortion. In a way, it's like slavery.

Edmund Burke
A true conservative. He opposed the King when they tried to colonize America. He was opposed to big government, among other things. I don't think I really need to explain this man because he is very famous in the world of conservatism.

Are there any other historic wo/men that founded modern conservative/libertarian thought that I should look at?
And no, this isn't for school (it's out), I started this thread because I like history and politics.

[TeenageRepublican]

Oh, and Thomas Jefferson would probably be considered a Right-Libertarian today. I just found this:
Thomas Jefferson was a man of deep religious conviction - his conviction was that religion was a very personal matter, one which the government had no business getting involved in. He was vilified by his political opponents for his role in the passage of the 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and for his criticism of such biblical truths as the Great Flood and the theological age of the Earth. As president, he discontinued the practice started by his predecessors George Washington and John Adams of proclaiming days of fasting and thanksgiving. He was a staunch believer in the separation of church and state.
http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html
From a letter Jefferson wrote:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state.
(Same link)

[Naturalized-Texan]

TR: Based on your opening post, I think that you will be very interested in the following 6-part series. It was sent to me by my wife's nephew who is a free-market professor of economics at a small university in one of the southern coastal states:

The Secret History of the Dismal Science: Economics, Religion and Race in the 19th Century (http://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/LevyPeartdismal.html) by Professors David M. Levy and Sandra J. Peart.

Here is a brief excerpt:

The Anti-Slavery Coalition

The Exeter Hall that Carlyle mentioned was a real building. Located on the Strand in London, it served as the political center of British evangelicalism. By invoking the marriage of economics and Exeter Hall, Carlyle is reminding us of a vastly important fact about 19th century British politics: Exeter Hall was not the only moral center of the British anti-slave movement. In the fight against slavery, Christian evangelicals such as William Wilberforce and Thomas Macaulay were joined by political economists, such as James Mill, Harriet Martineau, J. S. Mill, Archbishop Richard Whately and John Bright. The two sides agreed that slavery was wrong because Africans are humans, and all humans have the same rights. They however disagreed over exactly what it is that ties us together. The economists drew on their assumption that deep down, we all share the same basic human nature. The evangelicals drew on their assumption that we are literally all brothers and sisters since we share the same first parents, Adam and Eve.

[TeenageRepublican]

TR: Based on your opening post, I think that you will be very interested in the following 6-part series. It was sent to me by my wife's nephew who is a free-market professor of economics at a small university in one of the southern coastal states:

The Secret History of the Dismal Science: Economics, Religion and Race in the 19th Century (http://www.econlib.org/library/Columns/LevyPeartdismal.html) by Professors David M. Levy and Sandra J. Peart.

That's exactly what I was looking for, N-T. Thank you.
This thread will probably be attacked by people, but I am trying to look at conservatism and libertarianism from a historical standpoint. Let's not get in to the politics of the two schools of thought.

[BarkleUSA]

...don't forget to add Martin Luther King to the Historic (Republican) Conservatives list.

Here's an excellent link which covers the racist history of the Democrats:

National Black Republican Association (http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-Why%20MLK%20was%20a%20Republican)

[TeenageRepublican]

...don't forget to add Martin Luther King to the Historic (Republican) Conservatives list.

Here's an excellent link which covers the racist history of the Democrats:

National Black Republican Association (http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-Why%20MLK%20was%20a%20Republican)

I'm not sure about him. Some of the stuff he did and said was strange to me. He didn't support the Vietnam War and worked hand in hand with LBJ on decisions. I don't think it was just decisions on the Jim Crow laws either.
----
The link that N-T provided was well written and documented. I also find that it supports my idea of what libertarians and conservatives should be doing. We should be working together instead of debating on the issues we disagree with. Mill was a libertarian and Wilberforce was a conservative, yet they worked together to abolish slavery.
What does that say about the modern libertarian/conservative debate? It's pointless, in my opinion.

[Rhino]

King wasn't 19th century, nor a founder.

[roguemerc]

John Locke - Major Influence of not only modern liberty, but western civilization in general. Wrote the classic 'Two Treasties on Government'

Adam Smith - Father of Modern Economics. Thoroughly discredited mercantilism (government/business collaberation) in favor of free market capitalism.

Andrew Jackson - Like Jefferson before him, fought furiously against the powerful banking interests who favored state monopoly banking, with Jackson in favor of free market banking.

Ulysses S. Grant - Restored America's currency to a hard, commodity based money standing.

Carl Menger - Major influence in the Austrian School of Economics

Grover Cleveland - Despite the fact that he was a democrat, he was a strong free marketeer and principled small government advocate (except certain dealings with powerful banking interests)

William Howard Taft - Saw through much of the nonsense of the 'progressive' era. Understood the movement as it truly was, a near religious, demagogic movement backed by powerful interests which deceived the common people in to thinking that government was the savior of mankind.

Warren G. Harding - First president after Wilson. Reversed some of his policies. Lowered taxes and regulations. America experienced a boom afterwards.

Calvin Coolidge - If one liked Harding, they would really like Coolidge. Brought taxes so low that only 2% of the population paid ANY income tax. The roaring 20's roared even louder. Stubbornly resisted the greedy, pandering special interests. Was not called 'Silent Cal' for nothing.

Albert Jay Nock - Principled 'Old Right' advocate who fought the 'New Deal', the income tax, as well as other forms of government expansion. Remembered well by William F. Buckley.

Senator Robert Taft - One of the last national level principled politicians in this country.

William F. Buckley Jr. - Coined the name 'Conservative' to describe the then growing fusion between the traditionalist and libertarian/old-right movements. Started the long running National Review Magazine, as well as the 'Firing Line' tv show. Hosted and debated with many, including Noam Chomsky, Gore Vidal, Kenneth Minogue and many more.

Barry Goldwater - A courageous man who fought an uphill battle for president against not only one of the most devious and ruthless democrats, Lyndon Baines Johnson, but also corporatist, elitist, statist country club Republicans/backstabbers like Nelson Rockefeller.

[Naturalized-Texan]

Excellent analysis, roguemerc, but you forgot to mention Ronald Reagan who coalesced the efforts of Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. and Barry Goldwater into a working governmental philosophy.

[norman]

John Locke (http://www.lonang.com/exlibris/locke/) and Adam Smith (http://www.econlib.org/LIBRARY/Smith/smWN.html) are definitely good cites but some conservatives follow the Alexander Hamilton and aged James Madison route rather than the Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson route.

[roguemerc]

Excellent analysis, roguemerc, but you forgot to mention Ronald Reagan who coalesced the efforts of Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. and Barry Goldwater into a working governmental philosophy.

Yes, right. I was just debating with myself as to whether Reagan was too modern to be considered historical. He delivered a powerful speech on behalf of Goldwater in 64'. He did perhaps what was thought to be previously impossible: get large percentages of the population to favor freedom and small government against the ever encroaching welfare state and the growing power of the beltway.

Before him, no one had thought that the Soviet Union would collapse in any near future decades.

[EveningStar]

Excellent analysis, roguemerc, but you forgot to mention Ronald Reagan who coalesced the efforts of Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. and Barry Goldwater into a working governmental philosophy.
N-T, remember Reagan's speech on behalf of Goldwater? Of course you do and so do I. I saw it on TV. This speech caused people to notice Reagan and they were able to urge him to run for governor of California.

The speech: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganatimeforchoosing.htm

[Naturalized-Texan]

N-T, remember Reagan's speech on behalf of Goldwater? Of course you do and so do I. I saw it on TV. This speech caused people to notice Reagan and they were able to urge him to run for governor of California.
Yep, I remember it very well.

I attended, along with my son who posts here occasionally as conservatour, the Draft Goldwater Rally at the DC National Guard Armory on July 4, 1963. I also met Barry Goldwater in a plane in early 1964 and got his autograph. I went from door-to-door campaigning for Goldwater during the 1964 campaign.

[DeclinetoState]

I also met Barry Goldwater in a plane in early 1964 and got his autograph. I went from door-to-door campaigning for Goldwater during the 1964 campaign.

Tony Schwartz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Schwartz), who created the infamous "Daisy commercial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_%28television_advertisement%29)," died this past week. What did you think of him, N-T?

[EveningStar]

Tony Schwartz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Schwartz), who created the infamous "Daisy commercial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_%28television_advertisement%29)," died this past week. What did you think of him, N-T?
I don't know what NT thought of him but I thought he was a creep. Yes, he was doing his job, but screw him.

[TeenageRepublican]

King wasn't 19th century, nor a founder.

I don't really care if the person's 19th century or not, to be honest. Whether or not King was a conservative or a founder is questionable.

Excellent analysis, roguemerc, but you forgot to mention Ronald Reagan who coalesced the efforts of Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. and Barry Goldwater into a working governmental philosophy.

Ditto.

[BarkleUSA]

Of course Jesus was the first true Conservative.

[TeenageRepublican]

I don't think Jesus really has any politics, in my opinion. I think He's beyond the political system.

[Naturalized-Texan]

Tony Schwartz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Schwartz), who created the infamous "Daisy commercial (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_%28television_advertisement%29)," died this past week. What did you think of him, N-T?
:finger:

[TeenageRepublican]

Does anyone else have anything to add to this? Interesting links...?

[TeenageRepublican]

I found a man that many libertarians consider to be a founder. His name is Claude Fredric Bastiat. I'm doing more research on him though.
http://fredericbastiat.com/