An American historian and essayist, Kirk helped found modern conservatism in the United States with a 1953 book on the legacy of Edmund Burke. He lived in a small Michigan town, far from academic centers. He defended a transcendent moral order, inherited customs, and local communities.
Core ideas
There is an enduring moral order, transcendent in origin, that society must respect
Inherited customs, conventions, and institutions hold wisdom accumulated over generations
Local communities and social variety are worth more than uniform projects of the central government
The tradition: Traditionalist conservatism
Traditionalist conservatism defends religion, customs, and inherited institutions as the basis of a good society. Russell Kirk gave this line its classic formulation in the United States.
