Trump-Vance, GOP and Catholic-Christian collectivism

TLDR: Catholic integralists reemerged on the American right, advocating for laws based on Catholic doctrine. Moving from academia to politics, they influenced the New Right, blending economic populism and cultural conservatism, as exemplified by J.D. Vance. Despite criticism, this movement reshapes the conservative landscape.

Approximately a decade ago, the Catholic integralist movement resurfaced on the American right, advocating for the guidance of Roman Catholic doctrine in law and social policy. This resurgence, sparked by Thomas Pink's 2012 lecture, transitioned from a realm of academic discourse to a potent political force by 2016. Notably, it was propelled by influential figures such as Patrick Deneen and Adrian Vermeule.
 
Despite criticism for its impracticality and authoritarian undertones, the Catholic integralist movement has left an indelible mark on the New Right. By blending economic populism and cultural conservatism, as seen in the ideologies of figures like J.D. Vance, this movement has reshaped the conservative landscape. It has incorporated protectionist policies and illiberal inspirations, contradicting authentic Catholic teachings but leaving a lasting impact on conservative ideology.
 
This concept, which had been dormant since the 1960s after Brent Bozell and William F. Buckley's divergence over the church's role in politics, was reignited by Thomas Pink's 2012 lecture. Pink's argument that the Catholic Church had lost its understanding as a political entity with rights over the baptized sparked a profound theological debate about church-state relations.
 
By 2016, this discussion had moved beyond academia to shape a political movement amidst a fracturing American political landscape. This "neo-integral" was championed by American Catholic professors and writers like Patrick Deneen, Adrian Vermeule, Chad Pecknold, Gladden Pappin, and Sohrab Ahmari.
 
They contended that Enlightenment ideas foundational to the U.S. had failed, leading to social and cultural decay. They proposed a new American creed based on Catholic principles, rebranding as "postliberalism" to shed associations with European integralism.
 
This movement attacked the American government's and free-market economics foundations, advocating for leaders to reshape institutions using Thomistic scholasticism, communitarianism, and Carl Schmitt's legal theories. Critics dismissed their vision as impractical for a historically Protestant and secular U.S. and their policy ideas as a mix of the mundane and authoritarian.
 
Postliberal Catholic integralism influenced the New Right, combining economic populism, Protestant integralism, and national conservatism. Figures like J.D. Vance represent this shift, promoting protectionist economic policies and cultural conservatism.
 
The New Right admires illiberal regimes like Viktor Orban's Hungary. It embraces the idea that "the common good justifies the means." This includes reimagining the U.S. constitutional system to allow leaders to promote the common good, blending Catholic natural law with authoritarian administrative practices.
 
Despite its grand but false, authoritarian, and collectivist ambitions, Catholic integralism has been absorbed into a broader populist and conservative agenda. Critics argue that its policies contradict authentic Catholic social teachings, particularly regarding subsidiarity and individual rights. Nonetheless, this ideology has found a place in the evolving conservative landscape, especially with Vance's prominent role in the GOP.
 
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