Compassionate conservatism : what it is, what it does, and how it can transform America / Marvin Olasky.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Olasky, Marvin N.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Conservatism--United States.

Conservatism.

United States.

Social ethics--United States.

Social ethics.

United States--Politics and government--1993-.

Politics and government.

Decentralization in government--United States.

Decentralization in government.

Physical Description:

xiii, 226 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Free Press, 2000.

Summary:

Compassionate conservatism is a new political force in the land, sweeping the grassroots of people of all faiths, races, and ethnicities. In its parts it offers solutions to many of our most intractable problems; in its whole it is nothing less than an innovative philosophy of government. No author is more qualified to explain its power and promise than Marvin Olasky, described by The New York Times as "the godfather of compassionate conservatism."

Compassionate conservatism offers a new paradigm for how the government can and should intervene in the economy. It begins with a long-lost premise about human behavior: economics, by itself, is not what changes lives. Only faith, and deeply held beliefs, can do that. For decades government has focused only on material well-being, ignoring the passions and convictions that make life worth living. What is conservative about the new movement is that its leaders also know that government cannot instill these beliefs. What it can do is help them flourish. It can give aid, inspiration, and direction to America's natural "armies of compassion" that have been a hallmark of our history since the founding.

Compassionate conservatism offers a way to transcend the root problems that currently oppress too many deserving Americans. It offers a unique vision of the triangular relationship between the state, our many churches, and our tens of thousands of charities. It is a true reinvention of welfare, a wholesale revolution in the welfare state, and a redefinition of the social safety net.

In Compassionate Conservatism Marvin Olasky takes us on a road trip with his son, Daniel, across the country, showing exactly how the new movement is unfolding. Along the way, he offers a set of principles, and a brief tour through history to show that these are not so much radically new ideas as rediscoveries of long-lost wisdom. Read this book for a blueprint of the future of politics and welfare in America.

Contents:

1. A Brief History of "Compassionate Conservatism" 1

2. Texas: Land of Social Entrepreneurs 23

3. Indianapolis: How Government Should Work 59

4. Historical Interlude 93

5. East Coast: Mean Streets and Spotlights 109

6. Minneapolis: Progressive Liberalism versus Compassionate Conservatism 141

7. Back Home: Ten Lessons We Learned 173

Appendix A How Compassionate Conservatism Can Transform Your City: Books and Tools 209

Appendix B Governor George W. Bush's Explanation of Compassionate Conservatism 215.

ISBN:

0743201310

OCLC:

43615719