Constituting Conservatism: The Goldwater/Paul Analog

摘要: Barry Goldwater’s 1960 campaign text The Conscience of a Conservative delivered message individual freedom and strictly limited government power in order to unite the fractured American conservative movement around set core principles. coalition Goldwater helped constitute among libertarians, traditionalists, anticommunists would dominate politics for several decades. By 2008, however, cracks this edifice had become apparent, future was clear jeopardy. That year, Ron Paul’s Revolution: A Manifesto appeared, offering broad vision “freedom” strikingly similar that Goldwater, but differing certain key ways. This book an effort reconstitute by expelling hawkish descendants depicting noninterventionist views pre-Cold War conservatives like Robert Taft as “true” position. This dissertation employs rhetorical criticism examine precise persuasive functions each these texts. In contrast theorists who have classified works Paul instances “jeremiad,” argues “jeremiad” is understood better “form” than “genre,” former refers discursively portrayed situation, latter indicates rhetor’s perception situation. It considers two artifacts “analogs” rethink their generic classification. Rather attempting classify toto, it applies Albert O. Hirschman’s work on “the rhetoric reaction” find explain implication author’s use “perversity,” “futility,” “jeopardy” theses. takes identification its primary aim can also be profoundly persuasive, humanistic approach capable articulating content. means libertarian texts from different eras, attempts demonstrate rhetoric’s instrumental constitutive are both consistent determinable tools theory criticism.