The Distortion of Political Language

Along with Hannah Arendt and Leo Strauss, Eric Voegelin is one of the leading figures in neoclassical political philosophy. This volume examines the distortion of political language and the resulting loss of touch with reality. Central to this analysis is the conviction that the distortion of language in politics—as currently practiced not only on social media—undermines the possibility of reasoned debate. In the fight against the corruption of language, Voegelin recognized literature as a significant medium. Thus, the volume includes essays that shed light on Voegelin’s relationship to various authors such as Stefan George, Hermann Broch, Thomas Mann, and George Santayana.