关键词: 阴谋论, 亨廷顿, 反权力伦理, 霍夫施塔特, 神话—地位政治

Abstract: The anti-power ethic proposed by Huntington and myth-status politics by Hofstadter are the two paradigms on American conspiracy theory. The former considers the conspiracy theory as a proof of the superiority of American political system, whereas the latter focuses on the anti-intellectualism and irrationality. Huntington’s hypothesis, with its highlight on the American creeds, ignores the role played by the conflicts of the social groups. Hofstadter’s theory, characterized by its elitism, overemphasizes the passivity of mass man. The conspiracy theory, as a reflection of the complex power relations, does not exist in merely a single form. A more careful analysis and multiple micro-perspectives will cast a new light on the mechanism of the conspiracy theory.

Key words: conspiracy theory, Huntington, anti-power ethic, Hofstadter, myth-status politics