Integral Traditionalism: Between Politics and Esotericism

Abstract

This article describes various interpretations of the so called integral traditionalism and its role in the political and religious movements of the 20th century. Looking at political movements and individuals who associated themselves with traditionalism, the author concludes that the integral traditionalism can not work as a political ideology, since its main objectives are otherworldly; in fact, the actual role of these movements in politics was minor. It makes more sense to consider integral traditionalism as a religious or semireligious ideology, manifested in various forms of social action. In the West, this phenomenon is now approached within the field of the studies in Western esotericism, while in Russia scholars often tend to reduce traditionalism to its purely political forms, which may lead to distortions.