Buchanan’s anti-conservatism

Buchanan’s last book declares an antipathy to one aspect of “conservatism” as he identified it—namely, conservatism’s defense of hierarchy in social relations. Buchanan’s anti-hierarchy stance owes something to the rural populist background of his early years. That stance also explains something about his professional and individual personality: his contentment to remain at non-elitist institutions; his preparedness to challenge establishment thinking on the nature and role of government; his antagonism to inherited wealth and the privileges of dynasty; and his life-long affection for elements of the simple rural life. The aim of this short piece is to highlight these various connections between Buchanan’s political commitments and the content and conduct of his work.