The Right-Wing Mirror of Critical Theory: Studies of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, Strauss, and Rand

The Right-Wing Mirror of Critical Theory argues that dominant trends in critical and radical theory inadvertently reproduce the cardinal tenets of the twentieth-century's most influential Right-wing philosophers, such as Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, and Strauss. This suggests that critical theory must reevaluate its relationship to "deliberate design" in politics to be more than an inverted image of the Right.

Format: Hardback
Length: 276 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

The prevailing Left often defines itself against neoliberalism, conservative traditionalism, and fascism as a matter of course, but are the philosophical differences between them more apparent than real? The Right-Wing Mirror of Critical Theory: Studies of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, Strauss, and Rand argues that dominant trends in critical and radical theory inadvertently reproduce the cardinal tenets of the twentieth century's most influential Right-wing philosophers. It finds the rejection of foundationalism, rationalism, economic planning, and vanguardism mirrored in the work of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, and Strauss. Larry Alan Busk suggests that this is more than just an unfortunate coincidence. Once the ideal of "the rational society" is abandoned, the Right is able to offer intelligible and compelling arguments for its political conclusions, whereas the Left has no corresponding case to make for its positions on either economic or "cultural" issues. If critical theory is to be more than merely an inverted image of the Right, it must reevaluate its relationship to what Julius Nyerere once called "deliberate design" in politics. In the era of anthropogenic climate change, a substantial and not merely nominal departure from Right-wing talking points is all the more necessary and momentous.

The prevailing Left often defines itself against neoliberalism, conservative traditionalism, and fascism as a matter of course, but are the philosophical differences between them more apparent than real? The Right-Wing Mirror of Critical Theory: Studies of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, Strauss, and Rand argues that dominant trends in critical and radical theory inadvertently reproduce the cardinal tenets of the twentieth century's most influential Right-wing philosophers. It finds the rejection of foundationalism, rationalism, economic planning, and vanguardism mirrored in the work of Schmitt, Oakeshott, Hayek, and Strauss. Larry Alan Busk suggests that this is more than just an unfortunate coincidence. Once the ideal of "the rational society" is abandoned, the Right is able to offer intelligible and compelling arguments for its political conclusions, whereas the Left has no corresponding case to make for its positions on either economic or "cultural" issues. If critical theory is to be more than merely an inverted image of the Right, it must reevaluate its relationship to what Julius Nyerere once called "deliberate design" in politics. In the era of anthropogenic climate change, a substantial and not merely nominal departure from Right-wing talking points is all the more necessary and momentous.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 236 x 158 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666929638