Critical Essay | Critical Review by Russell Kirk

Critical Review by Russell Kirk

SOURCE: "Irrational Behavior? No, Historical Experience," in The Birmingham News, March 2, 1980, p. E8.

An American historian, political theorist, novelist, journalist, and lecturer, Kirk was one of America's most eminent conservative intellectuals. His works have provided a major impetus to the conservative revival that has developed since the 1950s. In the following excerpt from a review of Reflections on History, Kirk offers high praise for Burckhardt as a wise and prescient historian.

[Reflections on History] is a handsomely produced edition of lectures delivered a century ago by the great Swiss historian [which] contains an informative preface by Prof. Gottfried Dietze. As Dietze reminds us, Burckhardt did not desire to have his lectures published. Had his wish been respected, we should have lost a wise book.

The kernel of these reflections is Burckhardt's discussion of "the three powers": The state, religion, and culture. Since Burckhardt lectured, the power of the...
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