Erik Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 31 July 1909 |
| Died | 26 May 1999 (aged 89) |
| Spouse | Countess Christiane Gräfin von Goess |
| Children | 3, including Gottfried |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Vienna University of Budapest (MA, PhD) |
| Influences | |
| Academic work | |
| Era | 20th-century |
| Discipline | Political philosophy Political science Intellectual history |
| School or tradition | Monarchism Liberal conservatism Conservative liberalism Elitism |
| Main interests | Monarchy · Comparative politics · History of political thought · Criticism of socialism · Criticism of democracy |
Erik Maria Ritter[a] von Kuehnelt-Leddihn[b] (31 July 1909 – 26 May 1999) was an Austrian-American nobleman and polymath, whose areas of interest included philosophy, history, political science, economics, linguistics, art and theology. He opposed the ideas of the French Revolution, as well as those of communism and Nazism.[1] Describing himself as a "conservative arch-liberal" or "extreme liberal", Kuehnelt-Leddihn often argued that majority rule in democracies is a threat to individual liberties. He declared himself a monarchist and an enemy of all forms of totalitarianism, although he also supported what he defined as "non-democratic republics", such as Switzerland and the early United States.[citation needed] Kuehnelt-Leddihn cited the U.S. Founding Fathers, Tocqueville, Burckhardt, and Montalembert as the primary influences for his skepticism towards democracy.[2]
Described as a "Walking Book of Knowledge" by William F. Buckley Jr., Kuehnelt-Leddihn had an encyclopedic knowledge of humanities and was a polyglot, able to speak eight languages and read seventeen others.[3] His early books The Menace of the Herd (1943) and Liberty or Equality (1952) were influential within the American conservative movement. An associate of Buckley Jr., his best-known writings appeared in National Review, where he was a columnist for 35 years.
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- ^ Campbell, William F. (18 September 2008). "Erik Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn: A Remembrance". American Conservative Thought. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
- ^ Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Erik von (1986). "Erik Kuehnelt-Leddihn Curriculum Vitae". Archived from the original on 11 April 2020.
- ^ William F., Jr., Buckley (31 December 1985). "A Walking Book of Knowledge". National Review. p. 104.