Gee’s Reviews > James Burnham: An Intellectual Biography > Status Update
Gee
is 67% done
Any holes in the ideology can easily be
patched up to satisfy the believer. Those working within ideological frameworks must at least sometimes bend reality so it conforms to an
ideology. Burnham insists that for the faithful, attitudes can always be adjusted so that no observation can ever undermine ideology. He
notes that ideologues divide people into two: those who share my ide-ology and those who do not.
— Feb 12, 2026 11:44AM
patched up to satisfy the believer. Those working within ideological frameworks must at least sometimes bend reality so it conforms to an
ideology. Burnham insists that for the faithful, attitudes can always be adjusted so that no observation can ever undermine ideology. He
notes that ideologues divide people into two: those who share my ide-ology and those who do not.
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Gee
is 74% done
He questioned any change produced by the human mind or ideology—change inspired by concepts such as democracy, freedom, or equality. The Burkean insinuated that events in Africa could emulate the French Revolution;
he feared that in their quest for equality, Africans may resort to violence. It may be too much change too fast.
— Feb 12, 2026 12:11PM
he feared that in their quest for equality, Africans may resort to violence. It may be too much change too fast.
Gee
is 73% done
Contending that under no conditions could all
of the people of Asia, Latin America, and Africa achieve the same eco-nomic status as the West, Burnham wrote, “Most—not all, but most—
of these underdeveloped nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America are underdeveloped for good and sufficient reasons—of soil, climate, rain-fall, paucity of sources (especially sources of energy), not to speak of the natu
— Feb 12, 2026 12:07PM
of the people of Asia, Latin America, and Africa achieve the same eco-nomic status as the West, Burnham wrote, “Most—not all, but most—
of these underdeveloped nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America are underdeveloped for good and sufficient reasons—of soil, climate, rain-fall, paucity of sources (especially sources of energy), not to speak of the natu
Gee
is 67% done
Burnham argues that these ideologically driven reformers merely tried to assuage their guilt about the fallen world around them.
Christianity solved the problem of guilt by recognizing humanity’s fallen state. But liberalism has no such pretenses. Consequently, beset by guilt, the liberal becomes consumed with change, what Burnham calls “method rather than results."
— Feb 12, 2026 11:47AM
Christianity solved the problem of guilt by recognizing humanity’s fallen state. But liberalism has no such pretenses. Consequently, beset by guilt, the liberal becomes consumed with change, what Burnham calls “method rather than results."
Gee
is 67% done
For the pro-fessed realist, skid row is just part of the “long and wonderfully intri-cate natural evolution of the city.” Self-contained, skid row shields the rest of society from its potential destructiveness. Society after all is
“hierarchal and differentiated, not equalized or regimented.” Burnham contends that recent liberal attempts to correct the situation in
New York City had only made things worse
— Feb 12, 2026 11:46AM
“hierarchal and differentiated, not equalized or regimented.” Burnham contends that recent liberal attempts to correct the situation in
New York City had only made things worse
Gee
is 67% done
Suicide of the West continues Burnham’s attacks on ideology. It argues that ideology attempts to study events by using a preexisting set of ideas, but this precludes the adherent from seeing the bigger, more practical, picture. And ideology cannot be refuted by logical analysis and evidence: “An ideologue—one who thinks ideologically—can’t lose.
— Feb 12, 2026 11:44AM
Gee
is 61% done
Congress and the American Tradition insists that liberals fostered Caesa-rism because of their faith in reason and government. They believe that
when guided by reasonable men, government promotes reform and prog-ress. For Burnham, conservatives have more realistic attitudes toward
human nature because they recognize that people are not always governed by reason. Conservatives favor a mixture of elements
— Feb 12, 2026 10:04AM
when guided by reasonable men, government promotes reform and prog-ress. For Burnham, conservatives have more realistic attitudes toward
human nature because they recognize that people are not always governed by reason. Conservatives favor a mixture of elements
Gee
is 61% done
centralization meant more power for the bureaucracy, what Burnham calls the “fourth branch of government.”
He suggests that government agencies exercised “extraordinary authority” over national life. In theory, these agencies were arms of Congress because Congress created them and could abolish them. In practice, these agencies devel-oped their own political life. They expand, and then Congress loses the abi
— Feb 12, 2026 10:04AM
He suggests that government agencies exercised “extraordinary authority” over national life. In theory, these agencies were arms of Congress because Congress created them and could abolish them. In practice, these agencies devel-oped their own political life. They expand, and then Congress loses the abi
Gee
is 35% done
Insight from The Managerial Revolution and The Machiavellians pervades Francis’s writings. For example, when analyzing American culture, he
describes an underlying power struggle: “Culture . . . necessarily con-cerns power, and the conflicts of the last several years over the National
Endowment for the Arts, rap music, obscenity, and multiculturalism are really a struggle for cultural power...
— Feb 10, 2026 07:03PM
describes an underlying power struggle: “Culture . . . necessarily con-cerns power, and the conflicts of the last several years over the National
Endowment for the Arts, rap music, obscenity, and multiculturalism are really a struggle for cultural power...