Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump
This book focuses on the constant tension between democracy and conspiratorial behavior in the new global order. It addresses the prevalence of conspiracy theories in the phenomenon of Donald Trump and Trumpism, and the paranoid style of American politics
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Daniel C. Hellinger
Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories in the Age of Trump
Daniel C. Hellinger International Relations Webster University St. Louis, MO, USA
ISBN 978-3-319-98157-4 ISBN 978-3-319-98158-1 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98158-1 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018951556 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover credit: White House Photo/Alamy Stock Photo Cover design by Henry Petrides This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
In 1991 I published (with my co-author) The Democratic Façade1, an alternative, critical view of politics in the United States, mostly intended to be used as a companion to the main text for Introduction to American Politics. At the time, I was a regular contributor to the St. Louis Journalism Review, and I gave a copy of the new edition to the editor and publisher, Charles Klotzer. Charles was enthusiastic about the book and said he was going to ask former U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton to review it. I told Charles that Senator Eagleton, a thoughtful and genuinely liberal person, was going to hate the book. We were challenging the paradigmatic myths of American democracy. We argued, in the spirit of C. Wright Mills,2 that elites were well-networked and usually able to manage popular discontent and, just as importantly, able to manage their differences among themselves. In a variety of ways, they could use their wealth to influence the media, maintain a consensus about defending capitalism at home and abroad, coopt elected officials through what even then seemed a campaign finance sewer, and in other ways translate their wealth into political power. Both in domestic and
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