In an age where what passes for the archetype conservative are the likes of Candace Owens, Bill Mitchell, Sean Hannity, Matt Gaetz, Tomi Lahren, and Donald Trump, it can be discouraging for those of us who take pride in the rich legacy and colorful history of thinkers on the Right to be associated with such grifters, demagogues, and charlatans.

Trying to define conservatism is challenging and trying to compile a list of individuals who best exemplify conservatism is problematic. Yet this is becoming increasingly important in a world where “conservatism” is quickly being coopted by reactionary nationalist populists who have little to nothing in common with the namesake.

In this episode Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis offers his list of conservative thinkers well worthy of your time and attention.

Disclaimer

This list is imperfect and incomplete. If I were to revisit the list next year or possibly even next week, I’m sure there are plenty of names I’d believe should supplant the names here. Some of these individuals may even be uncomfortable with the label “conservative”, though they all share aspects of the broader conservative worldview. The names below are not listed in order of preference or importance, but they are all insightful and noteworthy.

The fifty individuals discussed in this episode are noted below. If you’d like to learn more about each one you can check out the original blog post of Fifty Conservative Thinkers for a brief bio and links.

Josh’s (Incomplete) List of Fifty Conservative Thinkers Worth Your Time

1. Edmund Burke

2. Milton Friedman

3. Wilhelm Röpke

4. David Bahnsen

5. F.A. Hayek

6. John Adams

7. Frederick Douglass

8. Thomas Sowell

9. James Madison

10. Barry Goldwater

11. Ronald Reagan

12. Bradley J. Birzer

13. Russell Kirk

14. Matthew Continetti

15. David French

16. Gertrude Himmelfarb

17. George Nash

18. Stephen J. Tonsor

19. Roger Scruton

20. Jacques Ellul

21. Whittaker Chambers

22. Michael Oakeshott

23. Eric Voegelin

24. Timothy Carney

25. C.S. Lewis

26. G.K. Chesterton

27. Jonah Goldberg

28. Wendell Berry

29. T.S. Eliot

30. Ross Douthat

31. Mary Eberstadt

32. M. Stanton Evans

33. Irving Kristol

34. George Will

35. William F. Buckley

36. Kristen Soltis Anderson

37. Robert Nisbet

38. Carly Fiorina

39. Arthur Brooks

40. Marian Tupy

41. Charles Marohn

42. Patrick Deneen

43. Harry Jaffa

44. Walter Williams

45. Frank S. Meyer

46. Alexis de Tocqueville

47. Lord Acton

48. Leo Stauss

49. Willmoore Kendall

50. Yuval Levin