Politics and the Occult: The Left, the Right, and the Radically Unseen

We don’t usually associate the gritty business of politics with the occult, but esoteric beliefs have influenced the "destiny of nations" since the time of ancient Egypt and China, when decisions of state were based on portents and astrology. Gary Lachman shows how occult ideas continue to shape modern political philosophy. He also asks whether the separation of church and state characterizing modern political philosophy should be maintained. Other topics include: The occult roots of America and the French Revolution in Freemasonry. How nineteenth-century spiritualism empowered the women’s rights movement by giving women a voice. The influence of early Theosophists H. P. Blavatsky, Annie Besant, and Henry Steel Olcott on the rise of Indian nationalism; how Theosophy helped stop the spread of communism. The watershed of World War I, which brought about the rise of right-wing occult streams that led to Germany’s National Socialism; the truth about Hitler’s belief in the occult; Gurdjieff and the swastika. The dawning of the Age of Aquarius; levitating the Pentagon in the 1960’s. The millenarian politics that seem to inform the U.S. struggle with Islamic terrorists; fundamentalism and the fear of uncertainty. From the first Queen Elizabeth’s Dr. Dee to Ronald Reagan’s astrologer, Lachman’s view is fresh and conscientious, avoiding wild speculation, proving him of the best and most intelligent writers on these matters in the English-speaking world.

220 pages

About the author: Gary Lachman was born in Bayonne, New Jersey on 24 December 1955. Early influences were comic books, monster movies, weird fiction, AM radio and Hermann Hesse. At 18 he became involved in Manhattan’s nascent underground music scene, centered around the legendary club, CBGB. From 1975 to 1977, he was a composer and performer with Blondie appearing on television, in magazines and on radio. In 1977 he started his own group, the Know, performing as lead singer, composer and guitarist. This time of his life is recounted in his bookNew York Rocker, written as Gary Valentine. From 1982 to 1984, Lachman read widely in philosophy, psychology, literature, history, science and esotericism; he traveled in Europe, visiting Chartres Cathedral, Stonehenge as well as the site of Gurdjieff’sprieurein Fontainbleau and the writer Colin Wilson in Cornwall. He became involved in Gurdjieff work, but left after a few years. From 1984 to 1990, Lachman earned a degree in philosophy and in 1993-1994 saw post-graduate studies in English Literature at the University of Southern California. In 1994-1995 Lachman was Science Writer for the University of California Los Angeles, and editor of the department newsletter. During this time he published several articles and reviews on cultural and esoteric topics inGnosis, Quest, Lapis, ReVision, Common Boundaryas well as theSan Francisco ChronicleandLA Weekly. He also published two short books in the Pauper’s Press Colin Wilson Studies series. In 1996 he became a full-time writer, contributing articles and reviews to many journals in the US and UK: in addition to those mentioned above,Times Literary Supplement, Times Educational Supplement, Sunday Times, Literary Review, Resurgence, Fortean Times, Abraxas, Mojo, Bizarre, The Wire, Guardian, Independent on Sundayand others. Lachman has appeared in the BBC documentariesMagic: Art of Darkness(2001) andThe Menace of the Masses(2007) as well as in several documentaries, television and radio programs. In 2006 Lachman, along with the other members of Blondie, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the same year, the US edition of New York Rocker was published by Thunder’s Mouth Press. He is currently a full-time writer, contributing regularly to the Guardian, Independent on Sunday, Fortean Times and other journals in the US and UK. He is a frequent speaker and interviewer and interviewee on cultural topics and is a member of the Society of Authors and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. His work has been translated into Russian, Czech, Finnish and German. He lives in London. For more info go to: https://www.gary-lachman.com/