Neal B. Freeman, an influential author and broadcaster, shares his transformative journey within modern American conservatism. He reflects on his early experiences at National Review with William F. Buckley, navigating the complex debates of the Iraq War. Freeman discusses ideological exclusions in the late 1950s, the tension between liberty and government intervention, and the future of public broadcasting. He emphasizes the role of faith and virtue in preserving freedom, calling on younger generations to uphold these ideals in shaping America's future.
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Neal's Leap to National Review
Neal B. Freeman narrates quitting his stable job at Doubleday to join William F. Buckley's National Review after an inspiring all-night conversation.
The night convinced him to join a movement aiming to reshape American conservatism profoundly and politically.
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Birth of Conservative Movement
Early American conservatism was a tiny, close-knit, revolutionary core struggling against a centrist Republican and left-leaning Democrat dichotomy.
National Review crafted conservatism week by week through tough editorial debates among leading thinkers like Buckley, Burnham, and Meyer.
insights INSIGHT
Buckley's Lasting Conservative Legacy
William F. Buckley created American conservatism as a fighting faith, prioritizing political success over pure academia.
From 1964 to 2012, every Republican presidential nominee was either a Buckley conservative or pretended to be one.
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Written in 1951, God and Man at Yale is a critical examination of Yale University's undergraduate education by William F. Buckley Jr., who had just graduated from the institution. The book argues that Yale's faculty were undermining the university's founding ethos of Christian humanism by promoting atheism, collectivism, and Keynesian economics. Buckley criticized specific courses and professors for their hostility to religion and individualism, suggesting that this was a betrayal of the values held by Yale's alumni. The book is considered a seminal work in the American conservative movement and had a significant impact on Buckley's career and public profile.
The road to serfdom
Friedrich Von Hayek
In this influential book, Hayek argues that the abandonment of individualism and classical liberalism leads to a loss of freedom, the creation of an oppressive society, and ultimately, the tyranny of a dictator. He challenges the view that fascism and Nazism are capitalist reactions against socialism, instead positing that these ideologies share common roots in central economic planning and the empowerment of the state over the individual. The book emphasizes the dangers of collectivism and the importance of maintaining a free market system to preserve human freedom and dignity.
seven pillars of wisdom
T. E. Lawrence
This book is T.E. Lawrence's memoir of his experiences leading a portion of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It details his movements, actions, and relationships with Arab leaders, as well as his thoughts and doubts during that time. The narrative includes descriptions of harsh desert conditions, unfamiliar Arab customs, and volatile tribal politics. Lawrence's account also grapples with the guilt of false promises made to the Arabs by their Western allies and the bittersweet victory of the Arab forces. The book is a mix of travelogue, philosophy treatise, and action novel, offering insights into Middle Eastern politics and the human experience of conflict, duty, and cultural understanding.
In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Governor Mitch Daniels sits down with Neal B. Freeman—author, broadcaster, and founding figure of modern American conservatism. Freeman recounts his early work at National Review alongside William F. Buckley, reflects on the movement’s intellectual origins, and discusses the enduring tension between ordered liberty and state overreach.
Freeman’s Upbringing & Introduction to William F. Buckley (1:30)