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2 years ago in Cultural History , Political History By Neethi
How did anti-intellectualism become so entrenched as a feature of mainstream U.S. political discourse?
This isn't just about current rhetoric. I'm interested in the deeper roots: the Jacksonian distrust of elites, the populist movements of the late 19th century, the fundamentalist reactions to modernism, and how these currents were harnessed and amplified by political strategists in the late 20th century.
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By Ankur Answered 1 year ago
Its entrenchment is a long-term fusion of cultural and political strands. The Jacksonian and Populist traditions valorized the "common sense" of the ordinary citizen against Eastern, educated elites. This merged with a strand of religious fundamentalism that rejected scientific modernism (e.g., the Scopes Trial). Mid-20th century, these currents were strategically mobilized; figures like George Wallace attacked "pointy-headed intellectuals." The key shift was the late-century political realignment, where conservative strategists actively framed universities and media as part of a liberal "elite" hostile to traditional values, turning a cultural suspicion into a reliable political weapon. It's less a sudden rise than the deliberate political activation of a deep-seated cultural resource.
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