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Entre le bilan d’une présidence républicaine marquée par l’apparition et l’affirmation du « trumpisme » et une opposition démocrate qui a dû se relancer structurellement et idéologiquement au lendemain de l’élection de Donald Trump en 2016, les enjeux de l’élection du 3 novembre 2020 vont au-delà d’une simple confrontation partisane. Comme les évènements de Minneapolis du 25 mai 2020 et le décès de George Floyd l’ont révélé, l’Amérique est en proie à une crise identitaire profonde. Quelles sont les options qui se font face et, plus important encore, quels sont les réels enjeux de ce scrutin historique ? À l’heure du choix, cette journée d’études nous offre une présentation dynamique des différentes perspectives et problématiques auxquelles fait face l’Amérique d’aujourd’hui. Far from a mere partisan contest, the election of November 3, 2020 represented a moment of truth for a Republican presidency marked by the appearance and affirmation of “Trumpism” and a Democratic opposition on the path to structural and ideological reinvention ever since Donald Trump’s 2016 election. As the events of Minneapolis of May 25, 2020 and the passing of George Floyd revealed, America is in the thralls of a deep identity crisis. What are the options open to voters and, more importantly, what are the real issues that lie behind this historic election? At this historic juncture, this seminar gave us a dynamic presentation of the different perspectives and issues facing America today.

International audience

Donald Trump won the American presidency in 2016. His political appeal became known as trumpism. This thesis defines key elements of this political appeal, and then searches for those elements throughout modern American conservative politicians and intellectuals. The elements of trumpism are nationalism, laissez-faires free marketism and populism. The thesis searches – by the usage of the genealogical method – for these elements in the writings of six modern conservative figures: Senator Robert Taft, William Buckley, Senator Barry Goldwater, James Burnham, President Ronald Reagan and Patrick Buchanan. My research shows that the trumpist political appeal has its origins in the writings and works of all of these persons. In sum, this thesis shows the modern American conservative genealogy of the ideas proposed by the trumpist political appeal.