Where did all the reactionaries go?

Where did all the reactionaries go? Janan Ganesh explores the fading of the elitist, pessimistic, anti-modern vein of thought and the need for reactionaries in civilized society.

April 2, 2023 . 4:34 PM

1 min read

The elitist, pessimistic, anti-modern vein of thought that went by the name "paleoconservative" has faded from the anglophone intelligentsia.
Reactionaries, who bring occasional wisdom and style to public life, tend to be wry, convivial and at ease with ambiguity.
Kennan was the last great reactionary, a man who never quite adjusted to the 20th century.
Even the word "reactionary" itself is shifting in common usage to mean something like "over-reactive".
Civilized society needs reactionaries, not just for their occasional wisdom, but for the style they bring to public life.