Tag: Marx

Dropping YE24’s dead weight: Girolamo Savonarola, Nick Fuentes, and the temptation of political theology v. Ye’s Machiavellian political economy

1490s Italy was in crisis. The city of Florence was plagued by internal corruption of Medici rule and external threat of French conquests. Girolamo Savonarola promised a revival of Florence through renewed faith in Christianity. Against the spectre of atheistic corruption, this seemed like a good idea. But it wasn’t. It was hell on Earth. … Continue reading Dropping YE24’s dead weight: Girolamo Savonarola, Nick Fuentes, and the temptation of political theology v. Ye’s Machiavellian political economy →

National Conservatism as Marxism-Leninism: A genuine proposition for thought and political practice

My life is like a child's illusions become reality. KanYe West, ‘See Me Now’, from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, 2010. An imaginary speech for concluding the National Conservatism Conference, London, 15-17 May 2023. Media sources claim this Conference is unwelcoming to views that are in any way ‘left-wing’ — either Marxist or linked to … Continue reading National Conservatism as Marxism-Leninism: A genuine proposition for thought and political practice →

Trade makes war: A social theory of violence

War and violence are words that denote extreme forms of social behaviour, even referred to as asocial or antisocial behaviour, in keeping with the immoral and dehumanising acts they accompany. But this was not always the case. War and violence were once seen as far more normal parts of the human conditions than they are … Continue reading Trade makes war: A social theory of violence →

From fission to fusion: The technological germ of a future past

Sociology follows technology. This has always been clear, as much as the following truth: politics follows economics. In language derived from seventeenth-century political theorist James Harrington, the ‘superstructure’ follows the ‘foundation’ of society. According to Harrington’s principle of ‘ballance’, the structure of politics follows the structure of the material world underpinning it. And according to … Continue reading From fission to fusion: The technological germ of a future past →

Conservative Marxism: A sketch

In many ways, conservatism is more liberal than liberalism. Marxism just bypasses the whole debate — but if it has an affinity with one side or the other, it is not clear that side is liberalism. Edmund Burke. Karl Marx stands between Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant. There is nothing wrong about bypassing the culture … Continue reading Conservative Marxism: A sketch →

Survival, community, and freedom: An accelerationist manifesto for conservative civic socialism

The left and its project of equality can seem to have two enemies: the centrist project of liberty and the right-wing project of community. All these moral positions also seem to miss the realist emphasis on survival. But I think there is a way of having our cake and eating it — building a left-wing … Continue reading Survival, community, and freedom: An accelerationist manifesto for conservative civic socialism →

Marx vs. Luther: Will China and the West clash?

Penned for INK student magazine (print edition) in 2018 during my tenure as politics editor. Imagine yourself in Wittenberg, Saxony, 1517. Western Europe is uniformly Catholic and, reminiscent of the once-mighty Roman Empire, the “Holy Roman Empire” presides over what is now modern Germany. One day, you notice a young theology professor nailing a lengthy … Continue reading Marx vs. Luther: Will China and the West clash? →

Darwin, Marx, Mearsheimer: Towards a theory of social evolution

I have an interest in the connection between two theories. At school, I developed an interest in theories of international relations, including Mearsheimer’s structural realist theory of great power politics. At university, I developed an interest in political economy, particularly Marx’s theory in that field. My tentative thesis title was: ‘Darwin, Marx, and the evolving … Continue reading Darwin, Marx, Mearsheimer: Towards a theory of social evolution →

Will history end? Musings on the war of ideas

A legacy piece from 2017. “History” is an ambiguous word, albeit a common one. But defining history’s limits is worthwhile, as we all partake in history’s course every time we speak to a friend, write a letter or send a meme on Facebook. For philosophers Hegel, Kant and Marx, history was the history of ideas. … Continue reading Will history end? Musings on the war of ideas →