185 – Inventing Conservatism with Daniel J. Flynn
- Josh Lewis
- Sep 2, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 13, 2025
Few forerunners of the modern conservative movement are as important, little known, and underappreciated as Frank Meyer. Meyer possessed the IT factor that made women want him and men want to be associated with him. He used that in his early years to advance Marxism in England—building an impressive Marxist organization that had the attention of UK’s government, dating the Prime Minister’s daughter while calling for the violent overthrow of the Prime Minister’s government, and becoming a national celebrity as the nation debated whether he should be exiled. But later in life, when he turned to the Right, that same charisma was used to help William F. Buckley build a fledgling conservative movement that ultimately changed the politics of the nation.
Joining Josh to discuss this most remarkable life is Daniel J. Flynn, author of his latest book: The Man Who Invented Conservatism: The Unlikely Life of Frank S. Meyer.
About Daniel J. Flynn
From spectator.org
Daniel J. Flynn, a senior editor of The American Spectator, serves as a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution for the 2024-2025 academic year. His books include Cult City: Harvey Milk, Jim Jones, and 10 Days That Shook San Francisco (ISI Books, 2018), Blue Collar Intellectuals: When the Enlightened and the Everyman Elevated America (ISI Books, 2011), A Conservative History of the American Left (Crown Forum, 2008), and Intellectual Morons: How Ideology Makes Smart People Fall for Stupid Ideas (Crown Forum, 2004). In 2025, he releases his magnum opus, The Man Who Invented Conservatism: The Unlikely Life of Frank S. Meyer. He splits time between city Massachusetts and cabin Vermont.
About The Book
Frank Meyer devised the blueprint for American conservatism—fusionism—championed by Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and so many to this day. Yet long before and far away, Communists in London chanted “Free Frank Meyer!” to block the deportation of a comrade who was their cause célèbre. Those fervent Marxists could never have predicted that their hero would one day provide the intellectual energy necessary to propel conservatives to political power.
The Man Who Invented Conservatism unveils one of the twentieth century’s great untold stories: a Communist turned conservative, an antiwar activist turned soldier, and a free-love enthusiast turned family man whose big idea captured the American Right. This intellectual migration coincided with a clandestine affair inside 10 Downing Street, service as a lieutenant to the man who later constructed the Berlin Wall, and neighborly chats with the pop-star and poet celebrity next door. Present at the creation of National Review, Meyer helped launch Joan Didion’s writing career. From H. G. Wells to Henry Kissinger to Milton Friedman, he rubbed shoulders with everyone who mattered.
Having discovered Meyer’s previously unexamined correspondence in an old soda warehouse, Daniel J. Flynn documents this saga in The Man Who Invented Conservatism, exposing the rivalries, jealousies, friendships, and fights that shaped the movement and what it means to be a conservative today.
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What a fascinating episode! Frank Meyer's transformation from charismatic Marxist organizer to the intellectual architect of American conservatism is the kind of story that makes you realize how deeply personal conviction drives political philosophy. It's almost hard to believe the same man who rallied crowds in London calling for revolution would later help William F. Buckley build the very movement that defined the Right for generations. His concept of fusionism — blending individual liberty with traditional values — still resonates today, especially for younger conservatives trying to make sense of a fragmented political landscape. Using conclusion starters like "ultimately" or "in the end," we might say: ultimately, Meyer's life proves that the most enduring ideas are forged through genuine struggle…
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The discussion around Frank Meyer’s journey highlights how ideas evolve through discipline, conflict, and conviction rather than convenience. Exploring fusionism through Meyer’s personal transformations adds depth to understanding modern conservatism beyond slogans or party lines. Daniel J. Flynn’s research clearly brings forgotten connections and tensions to the surface, showing how movements are built through structure and balance. In that sense, intellectual frameworks need security and cohesion, much as a lock for 4 battery keeps essential components protected, aligned, and working together over time.
It’s fascinating to see how Frank Meyer’s life journey from Marxist activist to the architect of fusionist conservatism—shaped modern American politics. The way personal charisma and bold ideas intersected with historical events makes his story feel alive and almost cinematic. It’s the kind of narrative that makes me think about how unique personal interests can become part of someone’s identity much like proudly wearing a Beast Of Bray Road Shirt signals both curiosity and appreciation for stories that blend mystery and history.