This article focuses on the political thought of Carroll Quigley (1910-1977), an intellectual figure who is very little known in Italy and forgotten even in his own country, the United States, both for the premature death that prevented him from completing some of his important works and for the instrumentalization of some of his writings by the “conspiracy theory”. In the works of Quigley, who stands out in the second half of the twentieth century, especially for the originality of his holistic perspective, interesting considerations emerge on the most disparate areas of Western political and military experience, which go beyond disciplinary fences and challenge the academic conventions. The article dwells on Quigley’s analysis of the history of political systems about weapons systems, his vision of the stability of contemporary democracy, dissent, and loyalty in politics, with reference above all to the period of student protests that he experienced first-hand. Finally, a classification of Quigley’s political thought is attempted based on a comparison with some of the main political orientations of his time, such as that of American conservatives, communitarians and “cold warriors” authors.
Carroll Quigley (1910-1977), a dispetto dell’influenza esercitata sulla cultura storiografica statunitense, è una figura intellettuale ancora sostanzialmente sconosciuta in Italia. Studioso eclettico e di larghi interessi, autore di vaste sintesi sulla scia di pensatori quali O. Spengler e A. Toynbee, Quigley è stato il più originale interprete di una storiografia che negli anni Sessanta del Novecento stava maturando il passaggio dalla tradizionale Universal History, o storia comparata delle civiltà, alla nuova World History. Il suo apporto è stato fondamentale anche sul piano metodologico: grazie a lui, infatti, si sono definitivamente superate le storie universali, onnicomprensive, teleologiche e fortemente deterministiche, per arrivare ad una visione della storia globale basata sull’analisi realistica e anti-ideologica delle complesse interconnessioni che esistono tra i diversi sistemi culturali, sociali, economici e politici.
Carroll Quigley e lo studio olistico della storia dei sistemi politici, tra sovranità limitata e comunità perduta
Pupo Spartaco
2022-01-01
Abstract
This article focuses on the political thought of Carroll Quigley (1910-1977), an intellectual figure who is very little known in Italy and forgotten even in his own country, the United States, both for the premature death that prevented him from completing some of his important works and for the instrumentalization of some of his writings by the “conspiracy theory”. In the works of Quigley, who stands out in the second half of the twentieth century, especially for the originality of his holistic perspective, interesting considerations emerge on the most disparate areas of Western political and military experience, which go beyond disciplinary fences and challenge the academic conventions. The article dwells on Quigley’s analysis of the history of political systems about weapons systems, his vision of the stability of contemporary democracy, dissent, and loyalty in politics, with reference above all to the period of student protests that he experienced first-hand. Finally, a classification of Quigley’s political thought is attempted based on a comparison with some of the main political orientations of his time, such as that of American conservatives, communitarians and “cold warriors” authors.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
