Aurel Kolnai and the Assault on Creation

by Daniel J. Mahoney

Aurel Kolnai truly belongs in the pantheon of anti-totalitarian thought and a study of his writings can shed some light on the totalitarian nihilism all around us.  Continue Reading »

4 Aug 2020

Brave New World Revisited

by Francis X. Maier

If today’s street violence and political extremism serve any good purpose, it’s this: They remind us that humans have a chronic appetite for destruction. Continue Reading »

30 Jul 2020

The Ever-Present Totalitarian Temptation

by George Weigel

The totalitarian impulse can rear its ugly head in well-established democracies like the United States. Continue Reading »

13 Feb 2019

Struggle Against the Gods

by Gao Zhisheng

Because of my legal work on behalf of groups persecuted by the Chinese government, I have been tortured three times since September 21, 2007. I have been subject to long periods of secret detention or formal imprisonment. At present, I can move freely within the bounds of a village in northern . . . . Continue Reading »

1 Apr 2017

The Lives of Cuban Others

by Carl Scott

Did you know that William F. Buckley, Jr., considered The Lives of Others the best film he had seen in many years? Did you know that the central accomplishment of the film, is that while true tales of communist regimes slaughtering 2 million here(Cambodia), 30 million there(Mao’s 1958 . . . . Continue Reading »

12 Mar 2012

Flagg Taylor on Totalitarianism’s Possible Route of Return

by Carl Scott

Flagg Taylor is a professor of political theory and such at Skidmore College, a friend, and the editor of the essential new collection on totalitarianism and dissent called The Great Lie. And now he’s blogging at Ricochet, home of the blogosphere’s best comments section, writing posts . . . . Continue Reading »

18 Oct 2011

More Recognition of the Greatness of “The Great Lie”

by Carl Scott

Over at Ricochet.   The Great Lie is the new book of essays on totalitarianism edited by my friend Flagg Taylor. UPDATE: Professor Taylor’s own words on the book, with some excellent material in the comments. . . . . Continue Reading »

21 Sep 2011

A Great Read

by Carl Scott

F. Flagg Taylor’s The Great Lie: Classic and Recent Appraisals of Ideology and Totalitarianism is now out. I got my copy yesterday (Flagg’s a good friend and colleague) and the afternoon was shot. One brilliant essay after another: Aron, Havel, Milosz, Strauss, Solzhenitsyn, Arendt . . . . . . Continue Reading »

31 Aug 2011