Sorry, Not All Conservatives Are Elitist

The American right has a lot to answer for these days. Members of this group are ardent peddlers of conspiracy theories, anti-intellectualism and the demonization of opponents. This approach has contributed in no small way to the sorry state of contemporary American politics, where epithets have replaced arguments, a sense of common destiny seems lacking among citizens and compromise has become almost impossible on the most pressing national issues. A book documenting the wreckage and carefully tracing the links between right-wing ideas, policies and outcomes would be a significant contribution to public debate. Unfortunately, Corey Robin’s “Reactionary Mind” is not that book.