The Party
The Conservative Party, Yale’s foremost philosophical debating society, is a haven for those who believe that ideas have consequences, and that the best of what has been thought and said by man deserves rigorous exploration.
The members of The Conservative Party are not united by a single strand of the conventional political spectrum, but by a devotion to the production of principled and profound leaders, developed through critical inquiry and loyalty to Truth that so characterize our Western inheritance.
“Among the leaders of the Union, the Conservatives tend to predominate. Bill Buckley and Brent Bozell will be among the most famous, but scarcely among the only … alumni who will lead the great crusade of American reaction.”
―The Yale Banner
Toward the formation of such individuals, the Party sponsors regular events to rigorously examine every facet of politics, philosophy, and religion. These events culminate in the weekly Caucus held at the William Frank Buckley Jr. ‘50 Memorial Debate Hall, where individuals grow by advancing their own ideas against those of others.
The life of Conservative Party members is further enriched by other events such as the Sir Thomas More Lectures, in which a distinguished professor discusses a subject of interest over lunch each Friday; the Allan Bloom Forum, where eminent scholars reflect on philosophical and cultural questions central to the understanding of Western Civilization; High Table, where Party members, petitioners, and friends have the opportunity to dine together from Monday to Thursday; Chamberlain's Nights, where classic games like Risk, Diplomacy, and chess abound; and Mory's Toasting Sessions, where much tradition ensues.
Graduates of the Party are never forgotten. Indeed, not a season passes without special occasions to attend Party events. Undergraduate and alumni members of the Conservative Party and Harvard's John Adams Society reunite each November at the boisterous Yale-Harvard Debate, held on the eve of The Game, and at the opulent Party Tailgate when The Game is played in New Haven. The Party hosts an Annual Banquet each spring where Party veterans reaching back to the Thirties reminisce about old times and new. Even in Yale’s quiet months, a Summer Debate rouses New Haven with seersucker, Madras and mint juleps.
“At Mory’s, a private Yalie watering hole on campus … the tall, gangly Pierson Pachyderm they called ‘Grufus’ … would raise the chalice and intone: ’I am going to be the governor of New York state one day.’ Everyone would laugh and razz George Elmer Pataki and try to make the mailman’s son from Peekskill spill the … Cup, which according to protocol would make Pataki the buyer of the next round.”
―The Albany Times-Union
Leo Brent Bozell, Jr. ’50 and William Frank Buckley, Jr. ’50 reading from McCarthy and His Enemies, 1954.
There are two things in particular which members find most irreplaceable about their experience in the Conservative Party: the strength of friendship found in its halls, bound by the trials of moral introspection and philosophical examination; and the depth of worldview which necessarily follows from a shared aspiration to restore statesmanship and honor in public life.
While Yale may change, members can trust that the Conservative Party remains steadfast, upholding the best of Her traditions. Principles forged during friendly banter at Mory’s Temple Bar, engaging repartee at High Table, and invigorating Debate Caucus speeches form a uniquely Yale experience, one that transcends centuries where graduates “may be instructed in the Arts and Sciences [and] through the blessing of Almighty God may be fitted for Public employment both in Church and Civil State.” ―Yale Charter, 1701.
Get in Touch
Interested in joining the Party?
Membership is by Petition. Please contact the Rt. Hon. Chief Whip if interested.
Inquiries from the press are best referred to the Chairman.