In this book the author explores the different facets of reaction and
suggests that there is more to the concept than just a gratuitous
insult. He argues that reaction depends on two things: first, a
particular view of the world that favours tradition and the way that
things are; and second, the disposition to avoid change and its
consequences and so to prefer a settled and steady life. These two
facets can be articulated as a coherent set of arguments, which have
indeed been made by thinkers of the past such as Edmund Burke and Joseph
de Maistre, as well as contemporary figures such as Roger Scruton. But
we can also see the desire to minimise change and ensure stability as
forming a common sense reaction to the action of elites who seem to be
unresponsive to the view of the majority. The book looks at the concept
of reaction is some detail, exploring how it has developed and taken on
its current associations. The key arguments that can be associated with
reaction are explored. A link between the two forms of reaction is the
critique of modernism and this antimodernism is discussed in detail and
linked to the importance of tradition. Recent critics of modernism such
as the Prince of Wales and René Guénon are considered and their views
assessed. The book, therefore, seeks to understand the reactionary
impulse and to contextualise it within the apparently relentless focus
on progress and change as ends in themselves.
