Ten Books Every Progressive Should Read to Understand the Right

“One question I am often asked by engaged leftists is what texts are most helpful for understanding the political right.”

Introduction

The last several years have witnessed progressives taking a deeper interest in their political opponents. Important books such as Ronald Beiner’s Dangerous Minds, ongoing engagement by pundits like Nathan J. Robinson of Current Affairs, YouTubers like Contrapoints, and podcasts such as Know Your Enemy have all found receptive audiences for their critical—but refined—takes about the Right. One question I am often asked by engaged leftists is what texts are most helpful for understanding the political right. With that in mind, I have prepared a short list of some of the most important texts progressives can turn to. In line with the Millsian principle that one should “hear [arguments] from persons who actually believe them” in their most “plausible and persuasive form,” most of the recommendations will be from important conservative and libertarian authors whose positions any thoughtful progressive must rebut. Saying that, some of these books (such as God and Man at Yale) are included because of their influence or novelty, rather than their inherent virtues. These books are arranged in no particular order, and I include some comments on each one situating it in context.

10: The Nicomachean Ethics (c. 350 B.C.) by Aristotle

Aristotle’s philosophy has sometimes been called “organized common sense” for its role in justifying settled convictions at a higher level of sophistication. Of course, his convictions are not ours, and there is plenty to his work that is indelibly stamped by its time. The main influence of his ideas on the political right concerns his essentialism and his defense of virtue as essential to living a good life. The two go hand-in-hand and have often been used to justify conservative approaches to sexuality and personal behavior—sometimes in eminently reactionary fashion such as with John Finnis’ conflation of homosexuality with bestiality. Given that Aristotle’s essentialism also led him to talk about “natural slaves,” a virtuous person might bother to be more critical of his thinking; however, there is no denying The Nicomachean Ethics’ influence.

9: Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790) by Edmund Burke

Often called the godfather of modern conservatism, Burke’s most famous work is actually rather unusual for not laying out a platform or any systematic principles. Indeed, it often proudly resists such inclinations to rationalistic systematicity. What is important in Burke is the attitude or disposition, looking skeptically at grandiose plans by out of touch philosophes to remake the world whole cloth. Instead, Burke goes out of his way to stress the continuity of human life and the historical and moral restrictions this should place on our ambitions. One way to criticize Burke is by pointing out that plenty of people might regard the venerable traditions he praises as a form of domineering ideology. But there is no doubting his intelligence and down to earth convictions, meaning progressives will need to think hard about how to counter his points.