Dark Enlightenment Movement

A Dark Enlightenment Movement is a reactionary philosophical movement and reactionary political movement that rejects democratic values and egalitarian principles in favor of traditional societal constructs and authoritarian governance.

• AKA: Neo-Reactionary Movement, NRx, Neo-Reaction.
• Context:
  • It can typically advocate for Techno-Authoritarian Approach through corporate governance models.
  • It can typically reject Whig Historiography through reactionary interpretations of historical progression.
  • It can typically promote Hierarchical Social Structure through anti-egalitarian principles.
  • It can typically conceptualize Cathedral Power Structure as the institutional aggregation controlling modern society.
  • It can typically criticize Liberal Democracy as fundamentally flawed systems.
  • ...
  • It can often propose Neocameralism through corporate state models.
  • It can often influence Right-Wing Political Thought through reactionary philosophy.
  • It can often appeal to Silicon Valley Technologists through anti-democratic governance proposals.
  • It can often advocate for Absolute Monarchism through efficiency arguments.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Theoretical Dark Enlightenment Movement to being an Applied Dark Enlightenment Movement, depending on its implementation approach.
  • It can range from being a Philosophical Dark Enlightenment Movement to being a Political Dark Enlightenment Movement, depending on its practical application.
  • It can range from being an Elitist Dark Enlightenment Movement to being a Populist Dark Enlightenment Movement, depending on its audience targeting.
  • ...
  • It can have Historical Influence from 19th century reactionary thinkers and traditionalist philosophers.
  • It can maintain Aesthetic Focus through historical imagery and philosophical references.
  • It can promote Social Darwinist Perspective through shareholder governance models.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • Dark Enlightenment Movement Philosophical Strands, such as:
    • Moldbuggian Dark Enlightenments, such as:
      • Neocameralist Theory for corporate governance implementation.
      • Cathedral Critique for institutional power analysis.
    • Landian Dark Enlightenments, such as:
      • Accelerationist Neo-Reaction for technological determinism.
      • Capitalist Realism Extension for market-based governance.
  • Dark Enlightenment Movement Political Expressions, such as:
    • Online Dark Enlightenment Communities, such as:
      • Social Matter Platform for neo-reactionary discussion.
      • Thermidor Magazine for dark enlightenment theory.
    • Dark Enlightenment Adjacent Political Groups, such as:
      • Techno-Commercial Right for anti-democratic governance advocacy.
      • Aristocratic Futurist Movement for hierarchical society promotion.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Progressive Movements, which promote democratic values and egalitarian principles.
  • Liberal Democracys, which embrace enlightenment values rather than reject them.
  • Populist Right Movements, which often maintain democratic premises despite right-wing positions.
  • Libertarian Movements, which oppose state authority while dark enlightenment movements typically support strong hierarchical governance.
  • Traditional Conservative Movements, which generally work within democratic frameworks rather than seeking to replace them.
• See: Reactionary Movement, Anti-Democratic Movement, Anti-Egalitarian Movement, Cameralism, Age of Enlightenment, Dark Ages Historiography, Whig History, Liberal Democracy, Constitutional Monarchy, Absolute Monarchy.

---

---

References

2025

• (Wikipedia, 2025) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark Enlightenment Retrieved:2025-3-15.
  • NOTE: Describes the Dark Enlightenment as an anti-democratic, anti-egalitarian, and reactionary philosophical movement and political movement.

2024a

• (Populism Studies Organization, 2024) ⇒ https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/dark enlightenment/ Retrieved:2025-3-15.
  • NOTE: Categorizes dark enlightenment movements as part of the theoretical branch of the alt-right.

2024b

• (El Pais, 2024) ⇒ https://english.elpais.com/usa/2024-11-30/nrx-the-underground-movement-that-wants-to-destroy-democracy.html Retrieved:2025-3-15.
  • NOTE: Examines the neo-reactionary vision for democratic replacement.

2023

• (Land, 2023) ⇒ Nick Land. (2023). "The Dark Enlightenment." London: Imperium Press.
  • NOTE: Published compilation of Land's 2012 dark enlightenment essays, expanded with unreleased material.

2015

• (Yarvin, 2015) ⇒ Curtis Yarvin. (2015). "An Open Letter to Open-Minded Progressives." Unqualified Reservations (blog). July 10, 2015.
  • NOTE: Systematic introduction to neoreactionary philosophy, critiquing democracy and proposing corporate monarchism.
• (Social Matter, 2015) ⇒ Online forum providing a hub for reactionary essays and reactionary discourse.
  • NOTE: Became a significant neoreactionary platform for the development of dark enlightenment thought.

2012

• (Land, 2012) ⇒ Nick Land. (2012). "The Dark Enlightenment." Dark Enlightenment (blog).
  • NOTE: Ten-part online manifesto that synthesized neoreactionary concepts and coined the term "Dark Enlightenment."

2008

• (Yarvin, 2008) ⇒ Curtis Yarvin. (2008). "From Mises to Carlyle." Unqualified Reservations (blog).
  • NOTE: Key ideological essay tracing Yarvin's ideological shift from libertarianism to reactionary thought.

2007

• (Yarvin, 2007) ⇒ Curtis Yarvin. (2007). Unqualified Reservations. Blog.
  • NOTE: Foundational blog containing essays outlining neoreactionary philosophy and critique of democracy.

2001

• (Hoppe, 2001) ⇒ Hans-Hermann Hoppe. (2001). Democracy: The God That Failed. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
  • NOTE: Anarcho-capitalist text envisioning feudal governance structures that influenced neoreactionary thought.

1972

• (Deleuze & Guattari, 1972) ⇒ Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. (1972). Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
  • NOTE: First volume in the authors' Capitalism and Schizophrenia project that challenges psychoanalytic orthodoxy by reimagining desire as a productive social force rather than a product of lack. The work introduces concepts like "desiring-machines" and "schizoanalysis" as alternatives to Freudian models, while critiquing how capitalist structures manipulate human desire and proposing more liberated forms of social organization.

1967

• (Zelazny, 1967) ⇒ Roger Zelazny. (1967). Lord of Light. New York: Doubleday.
  • NOTE: Hugo Award-winning science fantasy novel that blends Hindu mythology and Buddhist mythology with futuristic technology. Set on a distant planet where former starship crew members pose as Hindu deities to control society through restricted technology and manipulated reincarnation, while the protagonist Sam (Mahasamatman) introduces Buddhism as a revolutionary counterforce.

1934

• (Evola, 1934) ⇒ Julius Evola. (1934). Rivolta contro il mondo moderno [[[Revolt Against the Modern World]]]. Rome: Edizioni Mediterranee.
  • NOTE: Traditionalist critique of modernity frequently cited in neoreactionary circles.

1841

• (Carlyle, 1841) ⇒ Thomas Carlyle. (1841). On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History. London: James Fraser.
  • NOTE: Anti-democratic historiography that inspired Yarvin's monarchist ideals.

---