Why Fusionism Lost Its Grip on the Modern American Right

Stephanie Slade’s latest work examines the historical trajectory of fusionism, the philosophy championed by former a editor at one outlet that married personal liberty with moral virtue. She credits the doctrine with shaping mid-20th-century conservatism and reaching its zenith under Ronald Reagan, though she notes Reagan’s mixed record on government size. Slade argues that the advent of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement broke from fusionist principles by glorifying a figure she deems morally deficient and by wielding state authority to achieve political ends.

She further details how various right-wing groups—ranging from theocons to neoreactionaries—criticize fusionism for different reasons, revealing internal contradictions. The book also explores contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, suggesting that fusionism’s focus on governmental restraint fails to confront coercion from private tech enterprises. Overall, Slade presents a nuanced picture of why fusionism faltered and why it struggles to re-emerge in today’s political climate.