Mystery AtlasPolitical & Economic Theories
Political Theories
Theories of governance, power, and geopolitics — realism, deep-state claims, elite theory — distinguishing academic political science from popular speculation.
Questions
Was There Really a 1933 Plot to Overthrow FDR?
In 1933, retired general Smedley Butler told Congress business leaders asked him to lead a coup against FDR. What the McCormack-Dickstein Committee found.
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What Is Elite Theory, and How Does It Differ From Deep-State Conspiracy Claims?
What elite theory actually claims in political science, how it differs from deep-state and 'global elite' conspiracy claims, and where the two get conflated.
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What Is the Deep State?
What the deep state is: the academic term for persistent state bureaucracies, and the separate populist claim of a secret cabal controlling government.
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