From the Academy

The Clutch of Ideology

Napoleon choose the words “ideologue” and “ideology” to describe political fanaticism and irresponsible political fantasy. He had in mind the sort of visionary, subject to the Demon of the Absolute, whom Burke had called the “abstract metaphysician” in politics.Old John Adams said of ideology, “Our English words, Idiocy or Idiotism, express not the meaning or force of it. It is presumed its proper definition is the science of Idiocy. . It is the bathos, the theory, the art, the skill of diving and sinking in government.” Ideology, in short, is the negation of political philosophy. It is the abandonment of right reason in society for an unthinking espousal of political fantasies. The ideologue believes that his pet ideology will bring us to the Terrestial Paradise.

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Russell Kirk

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The Clutch of Ideology

Napoleon choose the words “ideologue” and “ideology” to describe political fanaticism and irresponsible political fantasy. He had in mind the sort of visionary, subject to the Demon of the Absolute, whom Burke had called the “abstract metaphysician” in politics.Old John Adams said of ideology, “Our English words, Idiocy or Idiotism, express not the meaning or force of it. It is presumed its proper definition is the science of Idiocy. . It is the bathos, the theory, the art, the skill of diving and sinking in government.” Ideology, in short, is the negation of political philosophy. It is the abandonment of right reason in society for an unthinking espousal of political fantasies. The ideologue believes that his pet ideology will bring us to the Terrestial Paradise.