American Conservatism from Burke to Bush: An Introduction - Hardcover

American political thought, especially conservatism, often receives short shrift if not derision from scholars, notably political scientists. A comprehensive treatment of American conservatism is long overdue, and this work claims to be just that. However, its reach exceeds its grasp. The authors duly note the inaccuracy of the announcement of the end of ideology, and they accurately acknowledge that "conservatism is a complex subject." Unfortunately, Dunn and Woodard fail to address this complexity fully; many of their assertions are too broad, and they include many hasty overgeneralizations. Moreover, they could have explored in more detail fissures within American conservatism and the complex relationship between culture, politics, and ideology. Their work is generally good but has enough evident weaknesses to fall short of treating this all-important subject as claimed. Undergraduates may find it beneficial, but it is doubtful that scholars will.
- Stephen K. Shaw, Northwest Nazarene Coll., Nampa, Id.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.