Category Archives: James Burnham

The Coalition Engineers: William F. Buckley, James Burnham, and the Architecture of American Movement Conservatism

Following David Pinsof, David Sears, and Martie Haselton’s “Strange Bedfellows,” political belief tracks coalition membership more reliably than ideology. Men hold positions because positions bind them to allies they need. The content of a position carries less weight than the … Continue reading

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James Burnham Never Harbored Bitterness?

The late National Review editor‘s neuroticism and attention-seeking reminds me a bit of parts of myself I’d rather forget. He was a passionate Marxist for years and then a passionate anti-communist. He loved big bold theories and I suspect he … Continue reading

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James Burnham: An Intellectual Biography (2025)

Here are some highlights from this new book: * Certain paleoconservatives continued to advance the ideas of the less idealistic and gloomy second James Burnham. This Burnham has been identified as a forerunner to Donald Trump’s rise to power. One … Continue reading

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