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Episode 50 – Understanding Socialism – Part 1

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

Release Date: 02/04/2020

127 – 40 Must-Read Conservative Books – Part 2 show art 127 – 40 Must-Read Conservative Books – Part 2

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

The conservative tradition embodies centuries of accumulated wisdom from some of the brightest and most inspiring thinkers you’ll find.  Yet for the young conservative eager to learn more about this tradition, choosing which books to read can be a daunting task.   Most online lists of top conservative books contain familiar titles of classic tomes that inspire and challenge readers to this day.  Yet far too often such lists also include authors such as Charlie Kirk, Ann Coulter, Sebastian Gorka, Dinesh D’Souza, Dan Bongino, and Mike Lindell who, while they may be gifted at...

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126 – 40 Must-Read Conservative Books – Part 1 show art 126 – 40 Must-Read Conservative Books – Part 1

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

The conservative tradition embodies centuries of accumulated wisdom from some of the brightest and most inspiring thinkers you’ll find.  Yet for the young conservative eager to learn more about this tradition, choosing which books to read can be a daunting task.   Most online lists of top conservative books contain familiar titles of classic tomes that inspire and challenge readers to this day.  Yet far too often such lists also include authors such as Charlie Kirk, Ann Coulter, Sebastian Gorka, Dinesh D’Souza, Dan Bongino, and Mike Lindell who, while they may be gifted at...

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125 – Braver Angels with Elizabeth Doll show art 125 – Braver Angels with Elizabeth Doll

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

In response to America’s rapidly polarizing political divide a number of organizations have developed to try and turn down the heat.  is the nation’s largest movement dedicated to bridging the partisan gap.  Their website boasts that they are “equally balanced between conservatives and progressives at every level of leadership”.  Back in episode , with Braver Angels joined Josh to discuss how we might develop our sense of curiosity to bridge the partisanships.  Mónica comes from the Left.  In this episode Josh welcomes Elizabeth Doll with Braver Angels who...

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124 – The Unpopulists and the New Right with Shikha Dalmia show art 124 – The Unpopulists and the New Right with Shikha Dalmia

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

Populism is on the rise today—or so we’re told.  But what is populism?  Is it something to be feared or should it only be concerning to those dastardly elites?  Is populism a political movement of the Left or the Right?  Is it only a phenomenon of the politics of today, or has populism existed in some form throughout our nation’s history?  Does populism protect the individual from powerful interests or endanger our liberties?  How does populism fit into the conservative tradition?   Josh is joined by Shikha Dalmia of the Mercatus Center at George Mason...

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123 – Judging Lord Acton with Dan Hugger show art 123 – Judging Lord Acton with Dan Hugger

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

1st Baron Acton, 13th Marquess of Groppoli, John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton who, for obvious reasons, is more commonly referred to as simply Lord Acton, was a 19th century writer, historian, and member of the British parliament whose contributions to history, faith, and politics are largely forgotten beyond his most famous quote: “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely”.  Joining Josh to explore just why Acton was important and why he’s worth studying today is Dan Hugger from the apply named .   About Dan Hugger From Dan’s : Dan Hugger is...

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122 – The Political Animals with Jonathan Cole show art 122 – The Political Animals with Jonathan Cole

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

Late last year Jonathan Cole had Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis on his podcast, , to talk about the quirkiness of American conservatism, the rise of the NatCons, and whether there’s any hope for Josh’s brand of fusionist conservatism in the future.  The conversation was simply too good not to share, so here is a re-podcast of Jonathan’s original episode.   About Jonathan Cole From : Dr Jonathan Cole is a scholar, writer, translator and lecturer specializing in political theology—the intersection between religion and politics.   He is currently Assistant Director of...

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121 – Kids These Days with Scott Howard show art 121 – Kids These Days with Scott Howard

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

While Saving Elephants is targeted to younger Americans, more and more Millennials cannot be counted among “the kids these days”.  Today’s college students belong to Gen Z, and they are coming of age in one of the most turbulent political shifts and ideological realignments over the past half century.  What are conservatives to make of this next generation?  What challenges and opportunities do they present?  Joining Josh to delve into this and more is Scott Howard, Gen Z representative and student at the University of Florida who possesses a remarkably Reaganite...

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120 – Why Associations Matter with Luke Sheahan show art 120 – Why Associations Matter with Luke Sheahan

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

In 1953 sociologist Robert Nisbet published his most famous work , arguing for the necessity of association to the human experience and the harm inflicted upon communities when they are deprived of their function.  Traditional conservatism has long upheld Nisbet’s teachings as a reminder that we are not purely material beings with strictly economic interests.  Josh welcomes Luke Sheahan to this episode to discuss his efforts to pick up where Nisbet left off in fighting for the viability and flourishing of human associations, how the courts have gotten off-kilter in rulings...

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119 – Inflating the Apocalypse with David Bahnsen show art 119 – Inflating the Apocalypse with David Bahnsen

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

What is the great economic challenge of our times?  Is it inflation?  Rising inequality?  Artificially low interest rates?  Economist David Bahnsen joins Josh to discuss why excessive government debt and our slow-growth or no-growth economy risks the Japanification of the United States.  While some warn of a financial apocalypse, David argues that a more realistic threat is continued lack of productive output and increasing discontents if we don’t reverse course.  Also discussed are how supply side economists can respond to the Left’s critiques of the free...

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118 – Fearlessly Curious with Mónica Guzmán show art 118 – Fearlessly Curious with Mónica Guzmán

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

Mónica Guzmán joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis as they reach across the political divide to explore how the Left and Right might better engage one another in respectful debate.  Mónica shares her experiences as a liberal living in deep, blue Seattle yet grappling with her immigrant parent’s support for Trump.  They also discuss the limitations of reason to resolve our differences, why viewing people as complex and not merely complicated helps us bridge divides, and why Mónica has hope for a brighter future.   About Mónica Guzmán Per her , Mónica Guzmán is Senior...

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More Episodes

It’s no secret that younger Americans are increasingly drawn to socialism.  But what is socialism?  Do people who say they support socialism simply mean they want something other than what we have now, or do they have a firm grasp of socialist economic theory and complex vision of what a socialist America would look like?

 

While some conservatives may dismiss calls for socialism as foolish and not worth debating, Millennial conservatives don’t have that luxury.  We understand that calls for a socialist state are not a passing fad but a significant shift in how Americans are beginning to think.  And if conservatives are going to defend the free market, we must first begin to understand what socialism is before we can show how capitalism offers a better alternative.

 

On December 16, 2019 the Leftist podcast Millennial Review ran an episode entitled What is Socialism (Parts One and Two) in which cohosts Trevor and Justin described what socialism means, how to create a socialist state, and what such a state might look like.  Trevor and Justin are both proponents of socialism and, in defining socialism, offer their arguments in support.

 

You can listen to their episode by clicking here.

 

In this episode—the first of a two-part discussion—Josh and Bob attempt to define socialism from a conservative perspective and explore the socialist notions of seizing the means of production, private property, how labor creates value, socializing industrial vs pre-industrial societies, Marx’s theory for how capitalism would eventually collapse, and much more.