Primary Sources Conservativism

The Sharon Statement

September 11, 1960

introduction

In the fall of 1960, some 90 young conservatives met This statement of principles denies the basic prem- at the Sharon, Connecticut, home of National Review ises of Progressivism and liberalism. It also recalls editor William F. Buckley, Jr., where they founded earlier New England declarations about fundamental Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) to serve as an liberties—for example, the Essex Resolves and Mas- organization for young conservative activists. As their sachusetts Constitution of 1780. While the language statement of principle, the group adopted the Sharon differs, the concerns for liberty remain the same over Statement, which was drafted by 26-year-old news­ the centuries. paper editor M. Stanton Evans. Written “at this time of YAF became one of the most influential groups in moral and political crisis,” the statement is a succinct the history of modern conservatism. In the early 1960s, summary of the central ideas of modern American it would provide the National Draft Goldwater Com- conservatism. mittee with critical manpower to draft and promote Among those principles are the following: Free will conservative Senator Barry Goldwater in the 1964 pres- and moral authority come from God; political and eco- idential election. YAF would also challenge the liberal nomic liberty are essential for a free people and free agenda of groups like the National Student Associa- institutions; government must be strictly and constitu- tion and Students for a Democratic Society, support tionally limited; the market economy is the economic American servicemen in Vietnam, and call for a firm system most compatible with freedom; and Commu- stance against Communism around the world. nism must be defeated, not merely contained.

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“The Sharon Statement”

Adopted in conference at Sharon, Connecticut, September 11, 1960

In this time of moral and political crises, it is the That the market economy, allocating resources by responsibility of the youth of America to affirm cer- the free play of supply and demand, is the single eco- tain eternal truths. nomic system compatible with the requirements of We, as young conservatives, believe: personal freedom and constitutional government, and That foremost among the transcendent values is that it is at the same time the most productive supplier the individual’s use of his God-given free will, whence of human needs; derives his right to be free from the restrictions of arbi- That when government interferes with the work of trary force; the market economy, it tends to reduce the moral and That liberty is indivisible, and that political free- physical strength of the nation; that when it takes from dom cannot long exist without economic freedom; one man to bestow on another, it diminishes the incen- That the purpose of government is to protect those tive of the first, the integrity of the second, and the freedoms through the preservation of internal order, moral autonomy of both; the provision of national defense, and the administra- That we will be free only so long as the national tion of justice; sovereignty of the United States is secure; that history That when government ventures beyond these shows periods of freedom are rare, and can exist only rightful functions, it accumulates power, which tends when free citizens concertedly defend their rights to diminish order and liberty; against all enemies; That the Constitution of the United States is the best That the forces of international Communism are, at arrangement yet devised for empowering government present, the greatest single threat to these liberties; to fulfill its proper role, while restraining it from the That the United States should stress victory over, concentration and abuse of power; rather than coexistence with, this menace; and That the genius of the Constitution—the division of That American foreign policy must be judged by powers—is summed up in the clause that reserves prima- this criterion: does it serve the just interests of the cy to the several states, or to the people, in those spheres United States? not specifically delegated to the Federal government;

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