John Lukacs Biography

A self-described reactionary, Lukacs identifies populism as the greatest threat to civilization, asserting it as the essence of both National Socialism and Communism. He disputes the concept of generic fascism, noting the profound differences between regimes such as Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. His writings often examine the historical transition from aristocratic to democratic elites who appeal to the masses, proposing that the modern, bourgeois age, which began with the Renaissance, is now concluding. Lukacs is committed to defending traditional Western civilization against the perceived leveling and debasing effects of mass culture.