The Contemporary Relevance of James Burnham

James Burnham (1905–1987) was a philosopher and political theorist, chair of the philosophy department at NYU, and committed Trotskyist who befriended Leon Trotsky himself. Despite his beginning on the political left, Burnham eventually became an influential voice in the American conservative movement, serving as an editor of National Review. His books include The Managerial Revolution and Suicide of the West.

Although he was virtually forgotten for many years, Burnham’s work has seen something of a revival in some circles today, and his thought remains relevant for conservative and political thinkers of any stripe. In this webinar, we discuss Burnham and his newfound relevance for conservatives today.

The episode features Julius Krein, Editor of American Affairs; Daniel McCarthy, Editor of Modern Age; and Aaron Renn, who writes on Substack.

The discussion is moderated by John Sailer, Research Fellow at the National Association of Scholars.