| − | '''Russell Amos Kirk''' (October 19, 1918 – April 29, 1994) was an [[American]] political theorist, [[conservative]] intellectual, historian of ideas, social critic, and man of letters, who was best known for his role in the American conservative movement. Kirk's 1953 book, ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Santayana'',<ref>It went into 7 editions, the later ones with the title ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot''.</ref> attempted without complete success to lay claim to the history and direction of the modern conservative movement. His book traced the development of conservative thought in the Anglo-American tradition, giving pride of place to the ideas of 18th-century British writer and statesman [[Edmund Burke]], an Irish Protestant who was sympathetic to independence for the American colonies. | + | '''Russell Amos Kirk''' (October 19, 1918 – April 29, 1994) was an [[American]] political theorist, [[conservative]] intellectual, historian of ideas, social critic, and man of letters, who is best known for his role in the American conservative movement. Kirk's 1953 book, ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Santayana'',<ref>It went into 7 editions, the later ones with the title ''The Conservative Mind: From Burke to Eliot''.</ref> attempted without complete success to lay claim to the history and direction of the modern conservative movement. His book traced the development of conservative thought in the Anglo-American tradition, giving pride of place to the ideas of 18th-century British writer and statesman [[Edmund Burke]], an Irish Protestant who was sympathetic to independence for the American colonies. |
| | However, Kirk was not a [[movement conservative]]. His lack of vigilance against the potential for government tyranny, and his strident criticism of [[libertarian]]s, marginalized his effectiveness against the [[Deep State]], a ''[[1984]]'' type of society, or a government-imposed unisex society that obliterates gender distinctions. Kirk famously wrote "Ten Conservative Principles" which is abstract and never mentions gender, sex, [[abortion]], the [[homosexual agenda]], or [[transgenderism]]. Conservatives are champions of custom, convention, and continuity because they prefer the devil they know to the devil they don’t know. | | However, Kirk was not a [[movement conservative]]. His lack of vigilance against the potential for government tyranny, and his strident criticism of [[libertarian]]s, marginalized his effectiveness against the [[Deep State]], a ''[[1984]]'' type of society, or a government-imposed unisex society that obliterates gender distinctions. Kirk famously wrote "Ten Conservative Principles" which is abstract and never mentions gender, sex, [[abortion]], the [[homosexual agenda]], or [[transgenderism]]. Conservatives are champions of custom, convention, and continuity because they prefer the devil they know to the devil they don’t know. |