Abstract

This essay examines the political thought of Christopher Lasch (1932-1994) with regard to his critique towards liberalism conceived as a new paternalism. According to him, liberalism is an elitist and progressive doctrine which aims at freeing individuals from their natural bonds. After a very brief introduction of his intellectual journey, the study focuses on his refections about the family, that he considered the most significant theme of his research and whose erosion he deemed crucial for the crisis of self-governmen and the emergence of the new paternalism. Then, it deals with Lasch’s exposition of liberalism as a new paternalism hinged on a therapeutic perspective. In the end, by emphasizing his intellectual shift towards populism, the essay analyses Lasch’s similarities with the journal «Telos» and its director Paul Piccone. The study privileges the use of first-hand material, in some cases unpublished, found at the University of Rochester, where Lasch taught from 1970 until his death.