Why Freedom Conservatism Matters

On July 13, a group of journalists, policy wonks, and political activists opened a new front in the war for American conservatism. One-hundred-and-twenty-two signatories, led by Avik Roy of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity and John Hood of the John William Pope Foundation, affirmed 10 principles that define "Freedom Conservatism." It's a meaningful and necessary intervention in the ongoing debate on the Right over political economy that deserves to be read and shared. Most of Freedom Conservatism will be familiar to anyone with knowledge or experience of the conservative movement before June 2015. Still, the statement of principles emphasizes several issues that have emerged recently: The authors call for reducing the cost of living, restoring fiscal sobriety, and addressing the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow while adhering to the Colorblind Constitution. The major theme is that individual liberty is necessary for human flourishing. "We call ourselves Freedom Conservatives," the organizers write, "not because freedom is our sole interest but because without individual and economic liberty, our other fundamental values and aspirations will prove impossible to sustain."

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