The Economist runs an unsigned editorial on the Straussians in DC. This is better than most attempts to make something of Strauss because, one, it doesn’t take the Lyndon LaRouche conspiracy crap seriously and, two, because it is more modest in what it tries to do. But note the too-upbeat conclusion about how the Americans are going to a European (Strauss), while the Europeans are looking to an American (Madison) for their attempt to unify; therefore why can’t both sides of the pond just get along, etc. Well, just a small point on this matter: For practical (political) purposes one of the great effects of Strauss’ teaching was to reopen and/or reinvigorate the study of things American, which means a study of both freedom and virtue, which means a renewal of the study of constitutions, that is, of regimes. Wish the picnic in Washington had more than sixty people attending, right Ken?
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