This book investigates the origins and influence of the Counter-Enlightenment, arguing that resistance to Enlightenment ideals was not a peripheral reaction but a central force in the formation of modern political ideology. Darrin M. McMahon, a professor of history, utilizes extensive archival research to challenge the traditional narrative that the Enlightenment developed in a vacuum. He posits that the reactionary movements of the 18th century provided the necessary friction to define the Enlightenment and simultaneously birthed the modern political Right. By analyzing the rhetoric and social networks of those who opposed the philosophes, McMahon demonstrates how these counter-revolutionary ideas shaped the trajectory of modern Western thought.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this work as a definitive study on the reactionary forces that shaped the modern era. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of a previously overlooked aspect of intellectual history.