Repository of Arcane Knowledge - Politics and Law

Repository of Arcane Knowledge

Politics and Law

Political History | Political Science | Law

The Repository of Arcane Knowledge features well-researched essays on modern political history, political science, and United States law. Scholarly essays and resources on medieval and early modern history can be found on the Historical Research page.

Churchill, Truman, and Stalin at Potsdam

Political History

Down the Memory Hole: Shifting Narratives of U.S. Policy in Iraq (2009)
History of U.S. involvement in Iraq, exploding the myth that faulty intelligence was the cause of the invasion of Iraq.
A Brief History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict (2007)
Recapitulates the historical grievances and ideological foundations of Zionism and Arab nationalism.
Assessment of CIA Activities in Chile (1962-1973) (2006)
The CIA's involvement in the assassinations and coups against the Allende government is factually determined, while exploring the broader culture of U.S. covert operations and suppression of evidence.
- Related Reading: 1953 CIA Study of Assassination
- Related Reading: 1983 CIA Manual on Psychological Coercion
The "War on Terror": A War of Opportunity (2006, 2010)
Criticism of American propaganda myths regarding its so-called war against terrorism and the causes of the 9/11 attacks.
The Myth of the American "Hyperpower" (2006)
A critical reassessment of the magnitude of U.S. influence on 20th-century politics, economics, and culture.
Causes of the Soviet Collapse (1979-1991) (2003)
Argues that the Soviet empire was destroyed by internal political forces, rather than military setbacks, economic malaise, or Anglo-American geopolitics.
Rooseveltian Imperialism (2007)
Analyzes the ideological foundation of Roosevelt's American imperialism and its successors.

Political Science

A Basic Lexicon of Political Philosophy (2011)
Discusses classical definitions of political terms and concepts, as contrasted with less coherent modern usage.
On the Radical Separation of Church and State (2006)
The abolition of religion from the political sphere has been falsely posited as the only alternative to theocracy. We examine various historical solutions to the church-state problem, and show how a radical separation of politics and religion is ultimately incompatible with religious liberty.
U.S. Political Representation by Party (1865-Present)
Table showing political party affiliations of congressmen, senators, presidents, and Supreme Court Justices of the United States.

Law

Common Law and Civil Jurisprudence (2009)
Compares and contrasts Anglo-American common law jurisprudence with European civil jurisprudence, and their implications for the role of the judiciary.
Judicial Activism and Natural Law Jurisprudence
Attempts to define the nebulous concept of "judicial activism" and determine whether activist decisions might be justified by a natural law jurisprudence, with Maritain's notion of a developing understanding of natural law.
Marbury v. Madison and the Principle of Judicial Review (2006)
A fresh look at this case shows the force of Justice Marshall's reasoning is independent of political motives, and indeed the nature of written constitutions practically demands the exercise of judicial review.
- Related Reading: "Judicial review and executive responsibility," by Alan Keyes (2005)
Brown v. Board of Education under Originalist Principles: Would Plessy hold? (2007)
Critically examines whether the "separate but equal" doctrine applied in Plessy v. Ferguson is defensible under originalist principles, in light of the facts presented in Brown.
Legal Issues of Roe v. Wade (2006)
Examines reasoning behind majority decision of Roe v. Wade and related cases.