The condition of conservatism here at Wayne State sadly resembles the conservative condition in the United States in the years before 1945. Before World War II no articulate, coordinated, self-consciously conservative intellectual force existed in this country. At most there were scattered voices of protest, largely pessimistic about the future of the country. Certainly this frustrating and lonely state is familiar to those of a conservative stock on campus but the history of post World War II conservatism should bring some comfort with hope.
The nineteenth century Italian Nationalist Giuseppe Mazzini stated, "Ideas rule the world and its events. A revolution is the passage of an idea from theory to practice. Whatever men say, material interests never have caused, and never will cause a revolution." The truth of Mazzini's words was shown as the scattered voices gradually multiplied, gained an audience, and began an intellectual conservative movement during the first postwar decade. During this time not just one right wing group but three emerged--classical liberals who were concerned with liberty, private enterprise, and individualism; traditionalists such as Russell Kirk who rejected relativism and urged a return to ethical absolutes; and the evangelistic anti-communists such as Whitaker Chambers. All three shared a deep antipathy to twentieth-century liberalism. By the late 1950's the components of the conservative camp consolidated into a great force. During this period conservative intellectuals produced a large (and soon an enormous) amount of literature. With the proliferation of conservative ideas, what may be called a political revolution occurred. Through an increasing network of journals, books, and organizations intellectual conservatism approached maturity and gained recognition. By the early 1970's conservatives had gained a national audience and a chance to exercise national leadership. This was just 25 years after conservatism was a mere underground phenomenon. The political consequences of this intellectual movement can be illustrated by comparing two similarly conservative politicians. In 1964, as the intellectual conservative movement was first gaining force, Barry Goldwater devastatingly lost the presidential election. Only sixteen years later, with the conservative movement in full force, Ronald Reagan won the presidency in an overwhelming victory by running on a similar conservative platform. The success of the conservative movement can also be illustrated by the rightward movement of many disillusioned liberals such as Irving Kristol in the 1970's and 80's to create a forth component of the conservative movement--now known as the neo-conservatives. During this same time a fifth component emerged known as the New Right or more commonly the Religious Right who were concerned with social issues such as abortion and drug use. This growth and success of the conservative movement illustrates the importance of ideas. So those lonely conservatives on campus can take some comfort in knowing that all hope is not lost.
Since ideas are so important it follows that organizations on campuses (where ideas flow the best) are not only important but also necessary. Unfortunately, unlike many other Universities, Wayne State lacks a conservative publication, rarely host lectures of a conservative flavor, or hold events in promotion of conservative ideas. In fact all that there really is, much like the years before 1945 in this nation, are a few scattered voices in protest against a prevailing liberalism. These circumstances necessitate the establishment of a conservative organization here on campus in order to make conservative ideas more available to the campus community.
Many conservatives on campus, who have been discouraged into self-doubt by the overwhelming presence of liberalism, may ask why forming such an organization matters. Wayne State is an urban campus with a large and diverse student body. This is the ideal place for a conservative revival. As statistics show most alumni work within the Detroit area or elsewhere in the State. These alumni graduate and take on many important positions and help determine where the city and state move toward in the future. If conservative ideas are not promoted on campus effectively, these alumni graduate not only with a degree in the area of there choosing but also with a degree in leftist liberalism. On a campus without an effective conservative organization liberal ideas are offered to students uncontested, the conservative philosophy and movement is misrepresented, and as studies show incoming freshmen graduate more liberal than when they began. All these have an effect on our future leaders and thus on the future condition of Detroit and our State.
To my Fellow conservatives I ask your support in organizing a conservative organization on campus to promote conservative ideas. Any who are interested please contact me by email at [email protected].
