Title: David Farber, The Rise and Fall of Modern American Conservatism: A Short History.
Abstract: In the wake of the recent mid-term elections, this book makes interesting reading.David Farber's overall argument here, as emphasised by the title, is that conservatism as a recognisable political movement, ranging from Robert Taft in the 1930s through to George W. Bush in the 2000s, has entered a period of decline.This could be a strong dose of (academic, liberal) wishful thinking, or, possibly, the author is on to something, but the American voter hasn't realised it yet.The crucial point is of course the rise and fall of American conservatism, as if this movement, originating essentially in opposition to the New Deal, is now largely spent.In the conclusion the author comments: "As I write these last sentences, the conservative political movement, some seventy years in the making, is in disarray, waiting for new champions or, perhaps, simply changing circumstances" (261).But the book is in no way made obsolete by recent Republican successes.On the contrary, it puts things in a new perspective.