(1) Edmund Burke and Modern Conservatism, Part 5 of 5; (2) Looking Back in Wonder

Joseph Hamburger, Paul Kress, Lewis Lipsitz, and Harvey Mansfield discuss the extent to which Edmund Burke’s philosophical and political notions of conservatism affect modern politics, conservatism, and liberalism in the 1980s. The speakers focus on the “moral majority” style of modern conservatism, its connections (and lack thereof) with “Burkeanism,” and the lack of moral certainties in modern America. They discuss an apparent contradiction in modern conservatives: that they endorse traditional family and community moralities, yet at the same time support capitalism, profit making, and the free market.

In the second segment [18:20], Allen Ballard comments on his book One More Day’s Journey: The Story of a Family and a People, which describes the emergence of the black middle class in his native city of Philadelphia. Historical figures featured in his book include Richard Allen (founder of Philadelphia’s black Methodist church), William Still (head of Philadelphia’s underground railroad), O. V. Catto (assassinated in a Philadelphia voter protest), Richard Theodore Greener (the first black graduate of Harvard), Marian Anderson (singer), and Alain LeRoy Locke (“Father of the Harlem Renaissance”).

At the time of this interview, Hamburger was professor of political science at Yale University. Kress was professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lipsitz was professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mansfield, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center (1981-83),was professor of government at Harvard University.

Ballard, a Fellow at the National Humanities Center (1982-83), was professor of government at the City College of New York.

This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.

 

+ posts
This entry was posted in Ballard, Allen B., Episodes, Hamburger, Joseph, Kress, Paul F., Lipsitz, Lewis, Mansfield, Harvey C. and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.