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In his classic work Ideology and Utopia (1929) Karl Mannheim argued that each of the major contemporary political ideologies is motivated by an underlying utopian ideal. Conservatism, however, is normally seen as an anti-utopian way of thinking, opposed to radical changes and dedicated to the maintenance of traditions and the status quo. This essay examines the ideas of Russell Kirk, one of the “founding fathers” of modern American conservatism, to test whether Mannheim’s concept of “conservative utopia” is applicable to his version of conservative thinking. The analysis focuses on Kirk’s 1954 book A Program for Conservatives, while also bringing Svetlana Boym’s theory of nostalgia to bear on Kirk’s text in an effort to uncover his hidden aspirations and implied vision for an ideal United States.

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Outlines of an American Conservative Utopia: The Case of Russell Kirk

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Károly Pintér

摘要

In his classic work Ideology and Utopia (1929) Karl Mannheim argued that each of the major contemporary political ideologies is motivated by an underlying utopian ideal. Conservatism, however, is normally seen as an anti-utopian way of thinking, opposed to radical changes and dedicated to the maintenance of traditions and the status quo. This essay examines the ideas of Russell Kirk, one of the “founding fathers” of modern American conservatism, to test whether Mannheim’s concept of “conservative utopia” is applicable to his version of conservative thinking. The analysis focuses on Kirk’s 1954 book A Program for Conservatives, while also bringing Svetlana Boym’s theory of nostalgia to bear on Kirk’s text in an effort to uncover his hidden aspirations and implied vision for an ideal United States.