Neither stupidity nor madness suffice to explain Trump’s decisions: one must follow the progression of neo-reactionary thought to move beyond shock and realize that they are putting the very foundations of democracy at risk.

On the fringes of the internet, a new radical right-wing political counterculture has developed over the last 20 years in the United States, with the support of tech billionaires. Curtis Yarvin, Nickel Land, and other theorists – who influence Trump’s inner circle and advocate the end of democracy and the return of a hierarchical, masculinist, libertarian society – weren’t taken seriously until now. Arnaud Miranda, a political science researcher, situates them within the history of ideas to better critique their discourse and show the significance they could gain beyond America’s borders.