During the '80s, Will's own conservatism was not only out of step with the isolationists of the far right, it also clashed with the more libertarian sentiments of the mainstream right: Will was a pro-tax, pro-welfare statist, believing government had an obligation to build moral citizens. (One of his books is titled Statecraft as Soulcraft [1983].) In recent years, Will has grown increasingly skeptical of government, moving him closer to the conservative mainstream.