Liberty Meets Morality: Reagan’s Fusionist Legacy Revisited
Michael Evans, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
INTERVIEW ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.
Recently Kevin Price, Host of the nationally syndicated Price of Business Show, interviewed Stephanie Slade.
On a recent Price of Business, Host Kevin Price interviewed Stephanie Slade, senior editor at Reason. She discuss her latest piece, “What Ronald Reagan’s Fusionist Politics Teach Us About Liberty, Virtue, and Their Limits.” In the article, she explores how Reagan successfully blended libertarian and traditional conservative ideals—a political philosophy known as “fusionism.” Slade highlights how Reagan united free-market economics with moral and religious values, drawing from thinkers like Hayek, Kirk, and Friedman. She notes Reagan’s ability to inspire optimism and national unity while holding together a diverse conservative coalition.
However, Slade also examines the tensions within fusionism—how Reagan’s rhetoric often outpaced policy reality, particularly on shrinking government and enforcing moral standards. Still, she argues that Reagan’s legacy shows the potential of a principled politics rooted in liberty and virtue, even if imperfect in execution.
Her insights offer timely relevance as today’s political right grapples with new ideological divides. Slade’s analysis sheds light on whether the fusionist model can guide conservatives again—or whether it was unique to Reagan’s moment and leadership.
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