The Political Principles of Robert A. Taft

Robert A. Taft has been neglected by some historiansand political theorists and vilified by others. Vigorouslyand impartially written, this book analyzes the ideas andinfluence of a great U.S. senator of the twentieth century.Here readers will find a close and lively examination ofTaft’s convictions on freedom, justice, labor policy, socialreform, foreign affairs, and the responsibilities of politicalparties.Respected for his intelligence and integrity, RobertTaft was considered the most remarkable public man ofa turbulent political era. He was strong and candid, yetwas repeatedly denied executive power. Despite this, hewill undoubtedly be long remembered.Drawing on many contemporary sources, includingthe Taft Papers in the Library of Congress, Kirk and Mc-Clellan set Taft in historical perspective. Taft’s enduringsignificance to a normative theory of politics is made clearin this careful study, which includes extensive quotationsfrom his outstanding speeches and writings. Available inpaperback for the first time, this edition includes a newintroduction by Jeffrey Nelson, who has been closely associatedwith Russell Kirk.

Russell Kirk (1918-1994) was the author of The Conservative Mind, Eliot and His Age, The Roots of American Order, and twenty-six other books in several fields. He was the president of two educational foundations, editor of the quarterly University Bookman, recipient of several literary awards, and has been a visiting distinguished professor on both sides of the Atlantic. James McClellan (1937-2005) was James Bryce Visiting Fellow in American Studies at the Institute of United States Studies of the University of London and before that Senior Resident Scholar at Liberty Fund Inc. Some of his works include Joseph Story and the American Constitutional and The Federalist: A Student Edition. Jeffrey O. Nelson is senior vice president and chief marketing officer at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. He edited two book collections-Redeeming the Time, by Russell Kirk, and Perfect Sowing: Reflections of a Bookman by Henry Regnery-and is co-founder of the Russell Kirk Center.