The constitutional faith of William F. Buckley, Jr

William F. Buckley is generally regarded as one of the founders of modern conservatism. Despite his recognition as one of the leaders of modern conservative thought, he has received scant attention from academics in any particular discipline. The paucity of literature on Buckley suggests that his contribution to American constitutionalism has not been fully appreciated. To date there has been no comprehensive analysis of Buckley's nonfiction writings for the purpose of revealing the foundations of his constitutionalism. This dissertation analyzes Buckley's nonfiction writings in the context of classical, medieval, and modern philosophy for the purpose of determining the precise nature of his understanding of constitutionalism.;There is a tendency, particularly in modern times, to view constitutionalism as a set of judicial glosses on the meaning and substance of the written Constitution. This understanding of constitutionalism has resulted in the aggrandizement of the United States Supreme Court among American institutions. Against this view, Buckley argues that a proper understanding of constitutionalism rests on the foundations of religion, tradition, and moral conventions. This of course suggests that there are fundamental underlying constitutional experiences which may reflect more accurately the reality of the written document. These underlying experiences reveal a normative reality consisting of a political order's values and traditions, which in turn legitimate the substance of the written political instrument. Buckley's writings reveal a conception of constitutionalism which must remain normative, grounded in human experience, and tethered to God. Constitutionalism itself must be understood to be animated by the customs, traditions, and values of the political order, the very real experiences of individual citizens.;It is argued in this paper that Buckley's antipathy toward liberalism stems from his perception of the tendency of liberalism to reject tradition and many of the moral values which issue from religion. In displacing tradition and moral conventions, Buckley argues, liberalism abstracts the individual away from the experiences which define the individual's political reality.;I conclude this study by examining how Buckley's understanding of constitutionalism would affect the Supreme Court's jurisprudence regarding the establishment clause, equal protection, and privacy. Finally, I assess the implications of Buckley's constitutionalism for liberal democracy.