The Way Back. F. H. Buckley

The Way Back

PRAISE FOR

The Way Back

“The Way Back makes a persuasive case that social mobility, fundamental to the American Dream, has eroded, and that people both on the left and right need to deal seriously with the problem of inequality. Frank Buckley marshals tremendous data and insight in a compelling study.”

—FRANCIS FUKUYAMA

“With his signature combination of erudition, imagination, and wit, F.H. Buckley has produced a game-changing contribution to the inequality literature.”

—CHRISTOPHER DEMUTH, Hudson Institute

“Frank Buckley offers a provocative and important commentary on the underlying problems of inequality and immobility. He dissects who’s to blame, what to do, and what not to do—with scholarship, wit, and insight.”

—ROBERT A. LEVY, Chairman, Cato Institute

“The Way Back is full of marvelously shrewd observation, as well as scholarship, both aimed at subjects of the greatest importance.”

—JONATHAN CLARK

PRAISE FOR

The Once and Future King

“A masterpiece.” —American Thinker

“Compelling—and compellingly readable.” —Reason

“His prose explodes with energy.” —The Weekly Standard

“No U.S. political scientist has achieved what F.H. Buckley does in this ambitious book.” —Times Literary Supplement

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Encounter Books, 900 Broadway, Suite 601,

New York, New York, 10003.

First American edition published in 2016 by Encounter Books, an activity of Encounter for Culture and Education, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation.

Encounter Books website address: www.encounterbooks.com

Manufactured in the United States and printed on acid-free paper. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48—1992 (R 1997) (Permanence of Paper).

First paperback edition published in 2017.

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGUED

THE HARDCOVER EDITION AS FOLLOWS:

Names: Buckley, F. H. (Francis H.), 1948– author.

Title: The Way Back: Restoring the Promise of America / F.H. Buckley.

Description: New York: Encounter Books, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015028091 | ISBN 9781594039607 (ebook)

Classification: LCC HN90.S65 B83 2016 | DDC 305.5/130973—dc23

LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015028091

For Esther, Sarah, and Nick

Contents

Preface to the Paperback Edition