Harry Jaffa, Walter Berns, and the Arguments That Redefined American Conservatism

An in-depth analysis of the intellectual legacies of two of the most influential conservative thinkers of the 20th century

Harry Jaffa and Walter Berns were two of the most influential conservative thinkers of the 20th century. Their work helped to redefine American conservatism, and their ideas continue to shape the conservative movement today. This article will explore the intellectual legacies of Jaffa and Berns, and will highlight their most important contributions to conservative thought.

Harry Jaffa

Patriotism Is Not Enough: Harry Jaffa, Walter Berns, and the Arguments that Redefined American Conservatism

by Steven F. Hayward

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Harry Jaffa was born in 1918 in New York City. He studied at Columbia University, where he was a student of Leo Strauss. After graduating from Columbia, Jaffa taught at a number of universities, including the University of Chicago and Yale University. He eventually settled at Claremont McKenna College in California, where he remained until his death in 2015.

Jaffa was a prolific writer, and his work covered a wide range of topics, including political philosophy, American history, and literature. He was best known for his defense of classical liberalism, and he argued that the American Founding Fathers were committed to the principles of natural law and limited government.

Jaffa's work has been highly influential in the conservative movement, and he has been credited with helping to revive the study of classical liberalism in America. His ideas have also been influential in the development of neoconservatism, a strain of conservatism that emphasizes the importance of American power and the promotion of democracy abroad.

Walter Berns

Walter Berns was born in 1919 in New York City. He studied at Columbia University, where he was also a student of Leo Strauss. After graduating from Columbia, Berns taught at a number of universities, including the University of Toronto and the University of California, Berkeley. He eventually settled at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., where he remained until his death in 2015.

Berns was a prolific writer, and his work covered a wide range of topics, including political philosophy, American history, and law. He was best known for his defense of conservatism, and he argued that conservatism is the only political philosophy that is based on a realistic understanding of human nature.

Berns's work has been highly influential in the conservative movement, and he has been credited with helping to revive the study of conservatism in America. His ideas have also been influential in the development of paleoconservatism, a strain of conservatism that emphasizes the importance of tradition and the limits of government.

The Intellectual Legacies of Jaffa and Berns

Jaffa and Berns were two of the most influential conservative thinkers of the 20th century. Their work helped to redefine American conservatism, and their ideas continue to shape the conservative movement today. Jaffa was a leading defender of classical liberalism, while Berns was a leading defender of conservatism. Both men argued that their respective political philosophies were based on a realistic understanding of human nature.

Jaffa and Berns were also both students of Leo Strauss. Strauss was a German-American political philosopher who taught at the University of Chicago and the New School for Social Research. Strauss argued that the classical philosophers had a more profound understanding of politics than modern philosophers, and he encouraged his students to study the classics in Free Download to better understand the nature of politics.

Jaffa and Berns were deeply influenced by Strauss's teachings, and their work reflects Strauss's emphasis on the importance of classical philosophy. Jaffa's work on the American Founding Fathers was heavily influenced by Strauss's interpretation of Plato's Republic, and Berns's work on conservatism was influenced by Strauss's interpretation of Aristotle's Politics.

Jaffa and Berns were both brilliant thinkers who made significant contributions to conservative thought. Their work has helped to shape the conservative movement in America, and their ideas continue to be debated and discussed today.

Harry Jaffa and Walter Berns were two of the most influential conservative thinkers of the 20th century. Their work helped to redefine American conservatism, and their ideas continue to shape the conservative movement today. Jaffa was a leading defender of classical liberalism, while Berns was a leading defender of conservatism. Both men argued that their respective political philosophies were based on a realistic understanding of human nature. Jaffa and Berns were both students of Leo Strauss, and their work reflects Strauss's emphasis on the importance of classical philosophy.

Jaffa and Berns were both brilliant thinkers who made significant contributions to conservative thought. Their work has helped to shape the conservative movement in America, and their ideas continue to be debated and discussed today.

Patriotism Is Not Enough: Harry Jaffa, Walter Berns, and the Arguments that Redefined American Conservatism

by Steven F. Hayward

4.3 out of 5

FREE