The Roots of Modern Conservatism
Dewey, Taft, and the Battle for the Soul of the Republican Party
Michael Bowen
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Published: 09/2011
Pages: 272
Subject: History, Political Science
| University of North Carolina
Print ISBN: 9.78E+12
eBook ISBN: 9780807869192
DESCRIPTION
Initially, Bowen argues, the separate Dewey and Taft factions endorsed fairly traditional Republican policies. However, as their conflict deepened, the normally mundane issues of political factions, such as patronage and fund-raising, were overshadowed by the question of what "true" Republicanism meant. Taft emerged as the more conservative of the two leaders, while Dewey viewed Taft's policies as outdated. Eventually, conservatives within the GOP organized against Dewey's leadership and, emboldened by the election of Dwight Eisenhower, transformed the party into a vehicle for the Right. Bowen reveals how this decade-long battle led to an outpouring of conservative sentiment that had been building since World War II, setting the stage for the ascendancy of Barry Goldwater and the modern conservative movement in the 1960s.