Burnham, James Burnham

James Burnham was an American political thinker and philosopher, active mainly in the mid-20th century. He is best known for his ideas on power and leadership, emphasizing that political and social systems are driven by those who hold real control rather than ideals or rhetoric. Burnham argued that modern society is dominated by a managerial class—experts and bureaucrats—who influence decisions behind the scenes. His work also critiqued totalitarian regimes like Stalin’s Soviet Union and explored the nature of power, hierarchy, and strategy in politics and business.