Buckley built the movement by creating *National Review* in 1955 as an intellectual and organizational hub, which he used to unite previously fragmented anti-communist, traditionalist, and libertarian groups into a cohesive coalition [citation:1][citation:4]. He recruited talented writers and thinkers, systematically purged extremist elements like the John Birch Society from the coalition, and used his magazine to articulate a coherent conservative alternative to liberalism [citation:2][citation:9]. His personal charisma, media savvy, and refusal to compromise on core principles helped translate this intellectual project into a successful political movement that propelled Ronald Reagan to the presidency [citation:1][citation:5].

Buckley served as the primary broker of the 'fusionist' alliance that brought together libertarians, traditionalists, and anti-communists under the conservative tent [citation:4][citation:8]. While he did not originate 'fusionism' (a theory articulated by Frank Meyer), he enthusiastically promoted the synthesis of libertarian means and traditionalist ends, seeing it as the best definition of conservatism [citation:4][citation:8]. This practical alliance held together for decades, though it was always somewhat unstable, and Buckley himself grew wary of both the excesses of the market and the anti-intellectualism of some of his allies, sometimes criticizing libertarians as 'chirping sectaries' [citation:8].

Buckley's first book, *God and Man at Yale* (1951), was a controversial critique of his alma mater's departure from its Christian and free-market principles, which made him a national figure [citation:3][citation:7]. He co-wrote *McCarthy and His Enemies* (1954), defending the senator while distinguishing him from his worst critics [citation:3][citation:7]. He hosted *Firing Line* from 1966 to 1999, a show that made him a celebrity and a master of political debate [citation:3][citation:9]. Later in life, he also found success as a novelist, writing a series of spy thrillers featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes [citation:3][citation:9].

Fusionism is the political philosophy that was developed and promoted at *National Review* to create a working alliance between traditionalist conservatives and libertarians [citation:4]. The idea, most closely associated with editor Frank Meyer, was that a free-market economic system (libertarian means) would best support a society rooted in religious faith and traditional morality (traditionalist ends) [citation:4][citation:8]. Buckley saw this synthesis as the intellectual foundation of a unified conservative movement, allowing groups with different priorities to work together against their common enemy: modern liberalism and state expansion [citation:4].

Buckley's early record on race is a major point of controversy. In the 1950s, *National Review* published editorials defending Southern segregation, including one stating that the white community was 'the advanced race' and arguing the South must 'prevail' politically [citation:12]. Buckley evolved significantly over time, however. By the late 1960s, he came to repudiate his earlier segregationist views, a change influenced by personal encounters with Black leaders like Jesse Jackson and his broader political maturation [citation:12]. He later dedicated himself to purging the conservative movement of its most overt racists and antisemites, seeing them as a liability to intellectual legitimacy [citation:9][citation:12].

Buckley's legacy is the creation of a durable, intellectually sophisticated conservative movement that successfully countered the mid-century liberal consensus [citation:1][citation:9]. His strategic choices—building media institutions, recruiting allies, and purging extremists—shaped the political landscape for generations [citation:2][citation:5]. However, the 'fusionist' coalition he built has come under increasing strain, with traditionalist and libertarian wings clashing over moral issues and economic policy [citation:8]. In his later years, he expressed skepticism about some elements of the movement he helped create, particularly its neoconservative wing [citation:6].