Russell Kirk (1918–1994) was an American political theorist, moralist, historian, social critic, literary critic, and fiction author known for his influence on 20th century American conservatism. His 1953 book, The Conservative Mind, gave shape to the amorphous post-World War II conservative movement. It traced the development of conservative
thought in the Anglo-American tradition, giving special importance to
the ideas of Edmund Burke. Kirk was also considered the chief proponent of traditionalist conservatism.
