The Conservative Tradition

Overview Course No. 4812

Preserving traditions and values from the past and applying them to the future is the core of the Conservative attitude. In the U.S., this philosophy has become a dominant ideology of modern political tradition. A thorough understanding of Conservatism’s lineage, principles, and impact on history is essential to making sense of 21st-century political dialogue. Through 36 lectures, Professor Patrick Allitt explores the fascinating history of Conservatism, providing insights that may surprise you and challenge your views, whether you lean Conservative or Liberal. By the end of this course, you’ll have a deeper appreciation of this philosophy’s development and its global influence.

Video Lectures

01: What Is Conservatism?

Explore definitions of Conservatism and Professor Allitt’s approach to its rich lineage in Britain and America.

• Duration: 32 min

02: The Glorious Revolution and Its Heritage

Learn about the roots of English Conservatism and the influence of Tory ideas on future politics.

• Duration: 31 min

03: Burke, Tradition, and the French Revolution

Discover Edmund Burke’s ideas, which are considered foundational to Conservative philosophy.

• Duration: 29 min

04: Pitt and the Wars of the French Revolution

Understand the role of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger in shaping British Conservatism.

• Duration: 31 min

05: The American Revolution

Explore how America’s revolutionaries were influenced by British traditions of liberty.

• Duration: 31 min

06: The Federalists

Examine the Federalists’ role in America’s Constitution and their conservative outlook.

• Duration: 30 min

07: Conservatives in the American South

Investigate how desires for independence and racial justifications shaped Southern Conservatism.

• Duration: 29 min

08: Northern Antebellum Conservatism

Study the formation of the Whig Party in response to concerns over democracy and demagoguery.

• Duration: 30 min

09: Opposing the Great Reform Act

See how early 19th-century English Conservatives resisted reform movements.

• Duration: 30 min

10: Robert Peel and the Conservative Revival

Follow Robert Peel’s role in building the modern Conservative Party and his rivalries.

• Duration: 30 min

11: Smith, Ricardo, Malthus, Mill

Delve into the pioneers of free-market capitalism and their influence on political thought.

• Duration: 30 min

12: Conservatism and the American Civil War

Consider the Civil War as a conflict between Conservative philosophies.

• Duration: 29 min

13: Industrialists, Mugwumps, Traditionalists

Explore the diverse brands of Conservatism in post-Civil War America.

• Duration: 31 min

14: Disraeli and Tory Imperialism

Learn about Benjamin Disraeli’s influence on the modern Conservative Party.

• Duration: 32 min

15: The Rise of Labour and the House of Lords

Discover the implications of the Labour Party’s founding on British politics.

• Duration: 30 min

16: The Idea of Anglo-Saxon Supremacy

Explore how racist ideas influenced Conservative thought in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

• Duration: 31 min

17: No Vote for Women

Examine the debate over women’s suffrage and the conservative perspective of the time.

• Duration: 30 min

18: American Conservatives after World War I

Study the conservative responses to materialism and societal changes in the 1920s.

• Duration: 30 min

19: Opposing the New Deal

Investigate Conservative reactions to the New Deal and the debates over America’s role in WWII.

• Duration: 30 min

20: The Tory Party from Bonar Law to Churchill

Understand the challenges faced by the Tory Party through the interwar years.

• Duration: 29 min

21: The Reaction to Labour and Nationalization

Learn about the political shifts post-WWII and Churchill’s attempts to adapt.

• Duration: 30 min

22: American Anticommunism and McCarthyism

Explore how anticommunism became central to postwar American Conservatism.

• Duration: 30 min

23: American Traditionalists

Look at influential Conservative thinkers of the early 1950s and their impact.

• Duration: 30 min

24: Libertarianism

See the emergence of Libertarianism as a strand within American Conservatism.

• Duration: 31 min

25: National Review and Barry Goldwater

Discover how “National Review” unified American Conservatism in the mid-20th century.

• Duration: 30 min

26: Upheavals of the 1960s

Examine the events of the 1960s that helped grow the Conservative movement.

• Duration: 30 min

27: The Neoconservatives

Discuss the transformations that led Liberal social scientists to reconsider their views.

• Duration: 32 min

28: The Neoconservatives and Foreign Policy

Analyze Neoconservatives’ evolving views on foreign policy during the 1970s.

• Duration: 31 min

29: Christian Conservatives and the New Right

Trace the political engagement of evangelicals in response to societal changes.

• Duration: 31 min

30: Margaret Thatcher’s Counterrevolution

Learn about Thatcher’s impact on British Conservatism during her leadership.

• Duration: 30 min

31: Monarchs and Prime Ministers

Explore John Major’s continuation of Thatcher’s policies and the monarchy’s adaptability.

• Duration: 32 min

32: Reagan Triumphant

Look at Ronald Reagan’s influence in making Conservatism mainstream in America.

• Duration: 32 min

33: The End of the Cold War

Study the implications of the Cold War’s end on American Conservatism.

• Duration: 30 min

34: Paleoconservatives and Theoconservatives

Understand the debates within Conservatism regarding foreign policy.

• Duration: 30 min

35: Culture Wars

Focus on cultural debates and the concerns of Conservative writers about civilization’s trajectory.

• Duration: 29 min

36: Unresolved Paradoxes

Summarize the course’s issues and explore Conservatism’s potential future directions.

• Duration: 32 min