Towards a Conservative Left: Selected Writings of Jean-Claude Michéa

Towards a Conservative Left offers the first comprehensive English-language introduction to the thought of Jean-Claude Michéa. Over the past three decades, Michéa has established himself as France's foremost "left populist."

Key Themes and Ideas:

• Critique of Progress: A fierce critic of the illusions of progress, Michéa challenges the prevailing narratives of modernity.
• Champion of "Common Decency": Michéa advocates for the "common decency" that should (but no longer does) inform left politics.
• Cultural Liberalism vs. Neoliberalism: He reveals how the left's focus on cultural liberalism has become a crucial element in today's neoliberal economic order.
• Rethinking Political Divisions: At a time when the old divisions between "left" and "right" have never seemed less self-evident, Michéa invites readers to reimagine politics and reconsider their positions.

The book features an introduction by Michael C. Behrent, an intellectual historian, who situates the development of Michéa's thought within the context of contemporary French political life. Behrent demonstrates how Michéa’s guiding concerns, while rooted in the French experience, resonate profoundly with our current political moment.