Spandrell's Neoreactionary Trichotomy

Author: Kieron

Published: Feb 2, 2024

3 minute read

Spandrell's Neoreactionary Trichotomy.

Full Title: The Neoreactionary Trichotomy - YouTube
Creator: Charlemagne
Publication Date: 12/29/2018
Resources: The Spandrellian trichotomy « Jim's Blog

Summary

The Origins of the Trichotomy:

  • Coined by Nick Steves and popularized by neoreactionaries, including Nick Land

  • Discovered via the live stream Distans7 on the Distributists channel

  • Importance of community and action highlighted by user engagement

  • Traditionalists and futurists are both dissatisfied with modernity, but for different reasons.

  • This Dichotomy expands to Trichotomy of religious/traditionalist, ethnic/nationalist, and capitalist categories

The NRx Trichotomy per Spandrell

Three categories of individuals who occupy the NRx sphere.

  • Technology/Capitalism: Formalism represents one pole of the NRx Trichotomy. Formalists prioritize formal rules, structures, and institutions as the basis for governance and social organization. They advocate for a system of governance based on strict adherence to rules and procedures, often emphasizing the importance of meritocracy and efficient decision-making mechanisms.

  • Traditionalism/Patriarchy: Traditionalism is another pole of the NRx Trichotomy. Traditionalists prioritize traditional values, customs, and social hierarchies as the foundation of society. They advocate for the preservation or restoration of traditional institutions such as monarchy, aristocracy, and religious authority. Traditionalists often emphasize the importance of cultural continuity and organic social order.

  • Ethno-Nationalism: Ethno-nationalism represents the third pole of the NRx Trichotomy. Ethno-nationalists prioritize the interests and identity of specific ethnic or racial groups. They advocate for policies that promote the preservation or dominance of a particular ethnic or racial group within a given territory. Ethno-nationalists often emphasize the importance of ethnic or racial solidarity and self-determination.

The Trichotomy per Nick Land

  1. Theonomist: Shared religion makes up the tribe

    • Tradition

    • Patriarchy/Family

    • Natalism

    • Divine Law (and natural law)

  2. Ethno-Nationalist: Shared ethnicity constitutes the tribe

    • Tribal solidarity

    • Distrust of outsiders

  3. Techno-Commercial: There is no tribalism

    • Money & markets

    • Rights of capital

    • Technological (singularitarian)

    • Efficiency

    • Globalist

The Neoreactionary Fusion

Maintains segments from each branch, but includes:

  • Natural heirarchy, Deep heritage, Race-realism, Sex realism, Microeconomics, Federalism, Subsidiarity, Freedom, Exit

The Significance of the Trichotomy:

  • Provides a testing ground for ideas and promotes truth orientation

  • Each segment remains distinct, despite ideological overlap

  • Reflects the emergent structure of European civilization

Trichotomy in European Civilization:

  • Resembles the Estates of the Realm: clergy, nobility, and commoners

  • Religious/traditionalists map to the clergy, capitalists to the nobility, and nationalists to the commoners

  • Each structure has its own hierarchy, intersecting with others for societal stability

The Three Estates of the Realm Model

  1. The Clergy - maps to Theonomists, but also to Progressives

  2. The Nobility - maps to Techno-Commercialists (more to the right, upper)

  3. The Commoners - maps to Ethno-Nationalists (more to the right, lower)

Trichotomy in Contemporary Politics:

  • Left and right depicted in a triangular fashion

  • Left converges into a singularity, while right diverges into opposing components

  • Far leftists influence center leftists, resulting in a cohesive left-wing movement

  • Right-wingers argue among themselves, creating two opposing components

Understanding Fascism in the Trichotomy:

  • Fascism is distinct from both socialism and capitalism

  • Fascism operated in opposition to both socialism and capitalism when it existed

  • Fascism is considered a "third way" that opposes both poles

The Role of the Trichotomy in Western Civilization:

  • Trichotomy provides another view of society's dynamics

  • Left-right conflict is real, but trichotomy clarifies the ideological forces at play

  • Cooperation between the poles is possible, as seen in political parties

  • Equilibrium between individualism and absolutism is crucial

How to Restore the Trichotomy for Western Civilization

  • One pillar of Western Civilization has been heavily perverted (the Left/Clergy), so it is critical that the other two pillars remain stable

  • The two poles of the right can come together towards the middle, but still far enough on the right to balance out the Left.

  • Also, restoration of the clergy is necessary for the balance of powers

  • The Clergy cannot compromise on the existence of God.

Roles:

  1. It is the role of the Capitalist to protect the liberty of the individual

  2. It is the role of the Nationalist to secure the existence fo the nation in which these individuals reside.

  3. It is the role of the Clergy to orient the people of this nation towards a superordinate metaphysical aim.

Maintaining the "Safe Zone" of Society:

  • The goal is to keep society in a balanced state - somewhere in the central zone of the triangle.

  • Compromises must be made, but some ideals are uncompromisable

  • Affirmation of metaphysical reality crucial for religious traditions

Further Exploring Tradition in Western Civilization:

  • Deep Heritage article by Nick Steves discusses the role of tradition in society

  • Understanding tradition aids in comprehending the Trichotomy

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